Pawns
by Quicksilver
Summary: Maron and Chiaki are falling in love.... but their dual identities will keep them apart unless something miraculous happens!
1. Chapter 1

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

Note: This diverges from the anime at episode twelve, so should be consider alternate universe. Chiaki's background is entirely fictional; Fin Fish is not an agent for the devil.

* * *

_Part One_

'Being a Kaitou really sucks,' Maron thought as she returned to her apartment two hours after midnight. She had time for maybe five hours of sleep if she pushed it, and she knew that she would most likely fall asleep in her class tomorrow anyway.

What was worse was the fact that tonight's Checkmate had gone to Sinbad again. He always knew about her notices, and lately he was making good on his promise to steal all her targets. Fin Fish was just as frustrated with the situation as Maron was, and could offer little advice aside from telling Maron to put her heart into her work.

With a sigh, she collapsed to her bed, closing her eyes and praying for sleep to come. Of course it didn't. Sleep never came when a person actually sought it- it was one of those annoying truths in life, just as surely as the sun would rise in the east, or that Miyako would be obsessed with catching Jeanne.

'Sometimes I think it might be easier if I moved,' Maron thought. 'It would be so much easier to get out to jobs rather then having to sneak by my best friend. Miyako's not stupid- she'll notice soon enough that I always go out on the nights when Jeanne has sent notice. I really don't want to hurt her... perhaps moving really is the best idea.

'I could, of course, look about going out the window- but I'm on the seventh floor. Getting out would be difficult if I wasn't transformed, and I can't be seen creeping around here as Jeanne. Besides, Chiaki lives next door and he'd notice. Annoying as he is, even I have to admit he's fairly intelligent.'

A faint blush stained her cheeks and she rolled over, trying to shake his image from her mind. Thinking about Chiaki just before she went to sleep was not anything she wanted to do.

With an angry growl, she punched her pillow, trying to make herself more comfortable. Sleep seemed like an elusive wish, and she finally rolled out of bed to get herself a warm glass of milk. Glancing enviously at Fin Fish, who was sleeping the sleep of the just, she thought evil thoughts of slamming the door to make some noise. It just wasn't fair; if she couldn't sleep, then the petite angel shouldn't be able to either. Luckily she managed to suppress that bit of pettiness.

When her microwave pinged, she reached in to retrieve her milk, then headed out to the balcony to watch the night sky. Luckily for her, the light pollution was relatively mild from her apartment so she knew she would be able to see the stars clearly.

Stepping out onto the balcony, she almost jumped in surprise when a voice spoke to her. "Good evening."

It could only be one person. Spinning around, Maron spilled half of her milk, yelping as the warm liquid splashed on the front of her shirt. "Chiaki, you idiot!" she spat, wondering why her heart was starting to race. "Are you trying to scare me out of my wits?"

He raised an eyebrow in an amused fashion, and looked over her carefully. "I must say you look charming even at this late an hour," he said, his face barely visible by the moonlight. Something in his tone was more serious then the teasing she was used to hearing from him, and she paused to think before speaking.

"What are you still doing up?" she asked after a second, deciding to forgo her usual retort.

"Thinking," he said quietly, leaning against the banister of the railing. "I always think best during the dead hours of the night."

Again, she had to curb her impulse to insult him, but she managed to do so. "I think most people do," she said, taking a thoughtful sip from her mug. "There's something about the night that encourages people to become reflective."

Chiaki laughed softly, then turned around to look her in the face. "So what are you still doing up? We have classes in about five hours."

"I can't sleep," she admitted. "I occasionally get bouts of insomnia."

His smile was sympathetic, and if anything, sent her heart racing even father. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks and wondered why she felt like she had just finished running a long race. "So do I," he confessed. "It's so annoying- I'm so tired, yet there's no way I can get to sleep." He sighed, and for a second looked much older and more careworn. Then he flashed her a cocky grin and she wondered if it had been a trick of the light. "I guess it's not such a bad thing, though. I manage to get a lot of studying and other things done."

She return his smile, liking this quieter and sweeter Chiaki. A part of her wondered why he couldn't act like this all the time... but then he wouldn't be Chiaki if he wasn't infuriating. "No rest for the wicked," she returned cheerfully.

His laugh was melodic and charming. "Indeed. And I must say you look particularly wicked dressed like that."

Looking down, she saw what he meant. She was wearing a light silk nightgown, and though she had taken the care to cover it with a dressing robe, the milk she had spilled across her chest made the material cling to her breasts, leaving little to the imagination. His eyes were lingering on her with appreciation, and all she wanted to do was smack him.

"Chiaki!" she fumed, getting ready to storm back into her apartment.

He smiled at her. "You're so pretty when you're angry," he laughed, then leaned over the balcony. Before Maron realized what was happening, he had seized her lips in a soft kiss. "Sleep well, Maron," he whispered, then ducked into his home.

She stood still, unable to believe what had just happened. She had always fought with him; some of their conversations sounded like a broken record player, playing on track over and over again. But tonight the record had skipped, and she was onto something entire different. "My first kiss," she said, raising a hand to her lips.

In a stupor she moved back into her bedroom, absentmindedly leaving her cup in the sink, half-full. Not expecting to get any rest, it was a minor shock when she slid into the depths of sleep, for once having no nightmares.

Meanwhile Chiaki was finally preparing for bed, musing silently to himself. He had no clue why he had actually kissed Maron- before it had been all flirtation, but now the stakes had been raised. He frowned at his reflection in the mirror, trying to figure it out. However, his guardian, the Kuroi Tenshi Access Time, wasn't about to let him get away with that.

The little angel floated a foot away from Chiaki's face, ranting. "And what, may I ask, was that all about?"

Chiaki picked up tube of tooth paste and started to put it on his brush. "Just an impulse," he answered, turning on the water.

"Some impulse! Must I remind you that she's the enemy?" Access snapped irritably, waving a small finger at his errant ward.

Chiaki finished brushing his teeth before answering. "No. I know that. It's just a harmless game."

Access sniffed derisively. "Some game!"

"It's fun," Chiaki said, then gave a sad smile. "And sometimes, you have to take whatever amusement life offers you," he said, his voice full of sadness.

"Chiaki," Access said, wishing there was something he could do to alleviate the pain that Chiaki was remembering. Though he always was cheerful, Chiaki had a darker, more serious side that few ever saw. As Sinbad, the serious side became prevalent, but Access knew that splitting his two natures was not healthy in the long run for him. What Chiaki needed was someone to help him reconcile those feelings, but Maron was definitely the wrong person. She herself was split in the same way. Perhaps the other girl -was her name Miyako?- would be more suitable, but though Chiaki flirted her, Access knew the real score. Chiaki wanted Maron- who was the worst possible match. That was just the way it worked.

Chiaki made his way to his bedroom, thoughtfully touching the locked box on his dresser. If someone else was to get into it (a long shot, considering all the spells and wards that Access had taught him how to place on it, not including the more mundane traps), they would be puzzled to see that it contain only a few simple onyx chess pieces- more then would be needed for a game, and they were all pawns. It was part of his nightly ritual to touch this- since he had sealed the demons, he was connected to them in some odd way, and it was reassuring to think that they were all still trapped here... and would be for eternity.

Sliding between smooth sheets, he shut his eyes, and fell asleep almost instantly. He always slept well after he Checkmated.

Maron woke early the next morning. The morning sun fell across her face, and she sat straight up abruptly, recalling the events of the early morning hours. For a second she wondered if it had been real, but all she had to do was look down at her nightgown, which smelled slightly of milk. Growling to herself, she stripped it off, wondering why she hadn't had the sense to change before falling asleep. That damn Chiaki...

At the thought of him, she blushed. 'Why did he kiss me?' she wondered as she stepped into the warm spray of the shower. She lathered herself with her favorite soap, then washed her hair again. She wouldn't have time to blow-dry it this morning, so that meant she would be forced to tie it back.

Fifteen minutes later she had finished, almost ready to face the world. She had no clue what she would do when she saw Chiaki, and that worried her. Her life was complicated enough without that stupid idiot messing it up even more. The pounding on the door came almost to the minute- it could only be one person.

"Coming, Miyako!" she said, and she struggled to get her shoes on. They had practice early this morning, and Pakkyamlamao-sensei would be irritated with them if they were late.

Opening the door, she stepped out into the main hallway, relieved to find that Chiaki wasn't there. Miyako was, and from the scowl on her face, the other girl was pissed. It could only be about one thing.

"Jeanne got away again?" she asked, even though she knew the answer. The wire she walked was a thin one, and sometimes it was hard to remember that as far as Miyako was concerned, Jeanne and Maron had nothing to do with each other.

"Yes," Miyako practically hissed, storming towards the elevator.

"Why don't you just give up? It's not your job," Maron ventured. She was constantly trying to separate Miyako from her father's work. It would make it easier to Checkmate if she didn't have to go up against her best friend every time. Maron hated it, but Miyako always came off looking like a fool, and there was nothing she could do about it. Jeanne had capabilities granted by God, and no mere mortal would be able to best her. The only real threat was Sinbad.

"I'm not giving up!" Miyako practically yelled, pacing around like a caged line in the small elevator. Maron practically jumped off the elevator when they reached the first floor, eager to get a little space between them.

By the time they reached school, Miyako had calmed down somewhat, and Maron knew that practice would help her best friend work off some more stress. Really, it was just too much.

With a sigh, Maron picked up a ribbon and started to move, limbering up gently before pushing herself into one of her more familiar routines. It was times like this that she could forget about all of her problems and just be herself- whoever that was.


	2. Chapter 2

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Two_

Maron was annoyed. That was nothing new- especially when you considered the reason for her annoyance. Finn Fish smiled at her, looking cute in the way only an angel could. Her green eyes shone with innocence, but Maron wasn't having any of it.

"I can't believe you did this to me again!" she declared, her hands on her hips as she glared at her sometimes guardian. "How many times do I have to tell you not to send notice without asking me? It would serve you right if I didn't go!"

Fin Fish looked horrified. "You wouldn't! The poor lady is going to be consumed by a demon, and you want to do nothing? Maron!" she exclaimed as the teenager pretended to ignore her by filing her long fingernails. "Besides, I saw Access Time lurking around- and if he's nearby, that means Sinbad will be going after the target as well."

Maron fumed at the mention of her rival. The annoying kaitou kept getting in her way, telling her- her, the reincarnation of Joan of Arc herself!-that she wasn't suited to Checkmating. "Who does he think he is, anyway?" she muttered. "What time is the notice set for?" she demanded.

"9 o'clock. Miyako is already planning something."

"Miyako is always planning something," Maron said with a light laugh. She glanced at the clock, and saw she had a little over three hours. "Well, I guess I have time to do my homework before I go," she sighed.

It was trigonometry, and she hated it. At least it would keep her mind too busy to worry about Chiaki.

Maron looked at the mansion she would very shortly be breaking into. Within the pristine white walls she knew a special painting was located; a painting that, while beautiful, was more dangerous then most people were even able to begin to grasp. A demon lay within, eating the pure heart of a woman who'd done nothing more then admire the beauty of the pigments.

Maron hated that. Demons were evil, yet they kept attacking the most beautiful creations of humanity. It was wrong somehow- evil should look the same outside then as it did inside, but... well, life was never perfect. She had learned never to be deceived by appearances.

"Standard guards on the perimeter- I see Haruto and Fuyuta out there, but that still leaves two of the Four Seasons unaccounted for," she mused, talking to Fin Fish.

"They're probably helping in whatever 'special' Miyako devised for you this time. The demon is in the second floor, under a glass case. I think Miyako is probably up there as well, and I haven't seen Toudaiji-san. No sign of Access or Sinbad, either," she said softly.

"I guess it's time. Ready, Fin?" she asked, holding up her rosary.

The small angel smiled and meditated for a second, charging the cross with spiritual energy. Maron quickly transformed into the pretty kaitou of the heavenly winds, smiling as she took a hundred-foot drop without fear. There was really nothing like feeling the rush of the French saint's energy wash over her. She was invincible, unmatchable, and no ordinary mortal could compare to the majesty she now possessed. All too soon the pink energy deserted her, and she was left as Kaitou Jeanne, the thief who stole back the hearts of mankind's purest members. "Game start!" she called as she vaulted over a wall.

Immediately the police drones converged on her, trying to grab the elusive beauty. With a musical laugh, she easily avoided all of their best efforts, even winking impudently at the one who came closest. "Not quite!" she said teasingly as she passed through the courtyard to the door.

Normally she would have gone through a window, but her instincts said that that would be a bad idea. So she did the unexpected and walked through the front door, amazed that no one had thought to lock it. Behind her she heard someone swear, and it became apparent that she had foiled some kind of ambush. She raced up the stairs, darting between a group of suspended sandbags that had been rigged like pendulums. They were heavy and one of them managed to hit her back as she was breaking free, sending her tumbling to the floor. She turned her fall into a somersault, but she had been slowed down enough for Haruto to make a grab at her from behind.

Jeanne kicked out at him, hitting him harder then she'd intended. He went reeling backwards, and she winced as he fell down the stairs. The sandbags lining the staircase slowed his fall, but she knew that he would be sore for a few days. "Sorry about that!" she called as she went even further into the mansion.

A noise from behind her warned her of her next attacker. She did a flip, avoiding Akita's lunge for her. Her purple eyes narrowed and she looked around for the next of the officers.

Natsuda appeared as if cued, firing a special net that screamed Miyako. Lunging sideways, she laughed as Akita got tangled up instead. Grabbing her rebound ball, she flung it upwards, catching a hold of the ceiling. With a jerk of her wrist, the thin rope started to shrink, causing her to ascend with it.

She mentally started to count and realized that she was still missing one of the usual quartet. Where the hell is Fuyuta? she wondered. Fin said she saw him out front.

Her musings were cut short as the rope on her rebound ball was severed by some kind of knife, and she glanced over to see Fuyuta smiling slightly. Suddenly Jeanne was falling, and she didn't like it. Summoning her inner reserves, she prayed to Kami-sama to make her like a feather. Slowly she drifted down, defying gravity for a few essential seconds.

Her delay cost her. The police had recovered from her attacks and were starting to move in on her. The lights in the house flared into life, and she winced as her eyes, which had become accustomed to darkness, got hit by the brightness.

"We have you now, Jeanne!" came a familiar voice. "Give it up!" Miyako looked like she was in her element with Tokyo's finest flanking her.

Jeanne looked around nervously, trying to figure out her best option. Another voice cut through the stillness that had fallen. "Sinbad's here!"

Miyako swore. "How the hell did he manage to get through the traps?" she wanted to know. Jeanne could see her gnashing her teeth.

"Orders?" Akita asked Miyako's father.

"Natsuda, Akita- go after Sinbad. We'll get Jeanne," Toudaiji-kaji said with amazing intensity.

"I don't think so!" Jeanne said, firing her rebound ball up to the chandelier. With a grin, she swung herself up onto the landing.

"I thought you cut that!" she heard Miyako yelling behind her.

"I did!" Fuyuta said defensively. "She must have more than one!"

Her laughter echoed merrily as she continued onwards. Magic was a wonderful thing. Now this was living- she hated deceiving Miyako, but there was nothing like the thrill of the chase. Not that they would catch her, but... there was always that minute chance that kept her blood racing. Pitting herself against the rest of the world... there was nothing like it.

Finally she rounded the final corner and raced into the room. It was here.

In front of a delicate painting of a Shinto shrine, a middle-aged woman stood. "Leave! You're not taking it from me!" she declared.

Jeanne's eyes softened as she saw the tell-tale signs of a demon's possessions: circles under the eyes, hunched posture, furious face. "Shhhhh..." she said soothingly. "This is for your own good."

The woman roared and leaped at her, aiming a claw-like hand at the kaitou's throat. Jeanne easily caught the woman's clumsy hands and tossed her into the wall. Concentrating, she produced a pin and prepared to cast it into the picture to seal the demon. "You, demon born in darkness-"

"Checkmate!" a deep voice said, and she watched in horror as, yet again, the painting was turned into a black pawn by Kaitou Sinbad. Access Time grabbed it as it fell and flew away after congratulating his ward.

The woman started to scream as the demon left her, but neither kaitou paid any attention to her. They stared intently at the other.

"You!" Jeanne said furiously.

"Of course it's me," Sinbad said coolly. "I said I was going to steal all your targets, and I meant it," he declared.

Jeanne's eyes flared with fury, and she couldn't contain herself. This time it was she who attacked, aiming a high kick at his face. He dodged agilely and retaliated with a backhand, which caught her on the cheek. Rather then slow her down, it just made her more enraged.

Miyako raced into the room, finally catching up to them. She had taken the long route (someone, who she suspected was Sinbad, had re-triggered her traps and caught the rest of the police force in them), and was slightly out of breath. Her eyes widened as she watched the two fight.

They were so beautiful, was her first thought. Each of their moves was perfectly timed and executed, and it was like watching a lethal dance. One misstep by either of them could end in tragedy. Jeanne preferred to attacked with her legs, flipping out of the way of Sinbad's attacks with elaborate handsprings and back flips.

Sinbad, on the other hand, used his arms, striking at Jeanne with his hands. Miyako would have wagered quite a lot that Sinbad had had martial arts training, for his blows were accurate and fluid.

Neither one seemed to noticed her presence, and she was at a loss at what to do. Her trick this time had been a booby-trapped window system, but both had circumvented it. Jeanne had walked through the front door (who ever heard of a kaitou who just walked in the front door!) and Sinbad... well, she would figure that out later. What mattered now was that she was alone in a room with her two targets, with no back up, no weapons, and nothing else. Blinking, she decided that her best course would be to observe. She slid behind a chair, still unnoticed.

Neither of the combatants was able to get the upper hand. Even though Sinbad was physically stronger, Jeanne had the reach on him, and was quicker. Finally, though, they began to tire, and Sinbad saw an opening.

Jeanne had come a touch too close to him. One second she was aiming a sidekick at his gut, and the next he had her pinned to the floor, her arm behind her back in a painful hold. "I win," he said softly.

"Bastard," she hissed. "You devil."

He looked at her, his blue eyes serious. "Don't you wish," he replied. "That would make everything easier for you, wouldn't it, Jeanne? Things aren't always black and white, no matter what you want to believe."

"I recognize evil when I see it!" she declared fervently.

"Do you?" he asked softly. He pulled her up so that they were both standing. He spun her around quickly and caught onto her shoulders with his gloved hands. "It must be nice to be so confident in your judgment," he said.

"I hate you," Jeanne spat out.

Miyako had the impression that Sinbad was smiling at Jeanne, though it was impossible to tell since he wore a cloth across the lower part of his face. "Really? That's nice. Do us both a favor, Jeanne, and stop being a kaitou. You're not suited to it."

"Bastard!" Jeanne said, trying to break free. Miyako almost gasped as she saw the tears forming at the corner of the amethyst eyes. "I hate you!"

Footsteps came from the doorway and the two kaitou realized that they would very shortly have company. "We'll finish this later, Sinbad," Jeanne said.

"Wouldn't miss it for anything," Sinbad said. Then the two were gone, each taking a different window.

Miyako heard the cries from outside as the guards saw the fleeing thieves, but she was under no illusions. They wouldn't be caught.

Still, she had learned some valuable information. Sinbad and Jeanne weren't just rivals- they were enemies. There had to be some way that Miyako could turn that to her advantage. And if Miyako did it right, she might be able to bring about the downfall of BOTH the kaitou.

Now wasn't that an interesting thought?


	3. Chapter 3

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Three_

Access Time was yelling at him again, and Sinbad didn't care. The male thief sat on a church rooftop staring up at the moonlight, shivering slightly. It was cold out tonight; so cold he could see his breath as it crystallized. He hugged his arms to his chest, listening to the sounds of the city. It was quiet out tonight, and that made thinking easier.

Why was he doing this? he wondered for what must have been the millionth time. Why was it so important that he be a kaitou, that he seal away the demons rather than let Jeanne get to them? She was under a mission from heaven while he- well, hell. He wasn't sure what he was doing half the time.

His fingers idly felt the pawn, and he was relieved for the gloves he was wearing. Even with the silk on his hands (silk was well known for its properties in protection against magic), he could feel the incredible amount of energy that had been stowed into the seemingly innocent chess piece.

A tired hand reached up and removed the cloth that had been shielding his face from view. As he dropped it, it disappeared, and he felt the slight surge of energy as the magic was returned to him. Unlike Jeanne, all of his powers came from within, and he needed to be careful with his resources. Every bit of magic he was able to save could prove vital some time in the future.

"What are you doing here?" Access said. "You should get home and sleep!" the loud angel said, folding his arms across his chest, glaring at his ward.

"I will," Sinbad said with a smile. "I just wanted to take a moment to enjoy the night," he said, smiling sleepily.

"You can do that as Chiaki!"

"But my senses aren't quite the same," he said truthfully enough. When he was a kaitou, his abilities and senses were enhanced. Smells became clearer, and his vision was sharper then any ordinary mortal's.

"This isn't good for you!" Access protested, worried. "By now Maron has let her transformation go. At least Fin has a charge with the sense God gave little green apples."

"You're one to be talking about God, Access," Sinbad muttered.

The little angel looked hurt. "Just because I don't agree with him on everything doesn't mean I don't love him," he said. "Please, Sinbad? Can we leave now? The longer you stay out here, the more likely you are to be caught. And if that happens, you might not have enough magic to contain the demon and escape. What would you do then?"

Sinbad sighed. "You're right, I guess." He smiled, then abruptly jumped to the next roof, feeling the surge of energy in his legs as he made impossible leaps. It was like flying under his own powers, like he had been granted a pair of wings. He enjoyed to the wind rushing against him as he made his way to his apartment complex.

A block before he arrived, he allowed himself to plummet into an alley as suddenly as he had begun his romp. A minute later Chiaki emerged, a black pawn securely wrapped up in his silk-lined pocket. He quickly went to his apartment.

Last night had been much like any other after he Checkmated. He had been too hyped from his victory to go to sleep immediately, so he had gone out onto his balcony to think. Sometimes his mind would empty of all the other concerns and he'd be at peace, but those times were fewer and farther between then they used to be.

Since he had become kaitou.

The first thing he did when arrive, even before bothering to turn on the lights, was go to his special box. He touched it, willing it to open, and it did. Under the lid was a second lid- a traditional puzzle box. With deft fingers he solved it, then rapped the lower right hand corner. Under that was a third lid- cold iron, another antagonist of magic. To this lid he pulled out the key he wore around a chain on his neck and inserted it in the top. He smiled as it opened.

Chiaki opened this lid slowly after tapping all four corners. If he hadn't, a potent sleeping gas would have been released and knocked him out. Finally he reached his goal- a heavy silk bag. He opened the delicate blue bag and tossed the pawn in while it was still wrapped. He shut it just as quickly, then slowly redid the box's protections- mundane, mental, and magical. With a sigh of relief he set it back down on his dresser, and released the willpower that had been forcing the demon to mind. Within hours the demon, trapped in the specially designed prison, would start losing its control. Eventually the hatred that formed the evil presence would disperse, leaving only the raw energy behind. Energy that could be harnessed for magic.

Then Chiaki stepped out onto the balcony and glanced over, wondering if Maron would come out tonight. Probably not. He had surprised her by kissing her. To be honest, he had surprised himself. But she had looked so beautiful, and just once he wanted to taste her lips.

He knew that she wasn't stupid; sooner or later his identity as Sinbad would come out, and then she would hate him. He remembered the pure revulsion in her purple eyes as she declared that she hated Sinbad.

Chiaki wasn't sure what he thought of her. He admired her,in a way, but knew she was misguided. He wished he'd be able to show her the truth, but she was too devoted to the light to see the truth. She kept her eyes toward the heavens, unaware of the reality that was actually around her.

But he liked her- perhaps too much. She was beautiful, but that didn't mean much. Chiaki could say, with complete honesty, that he was handsome enough to attract the prettiest of girls. No, what attracted him to her was her strength, and the deep sorrow that matched his own. They were alike, and he knew that if she could overcome her hatred, she would be able to understand. But it was such a bit "if" that he didn't dare allow himself to dream.

Chiaki shut his eyes slowly, listening. He could hear Access in his apartment, arguing with the television. The Kuroi Tenshi was fascinated by modern inventions, and it was amusing to watch him interact with them. Access Time talked to the television, played with the stove, and flushed things down the toilet to watch them swirl around and around.

He remembered meeting Access. He had been fifteen then, and so very alone. Fifteen... he shrugged the memory from his mind forcibly. He would never return to that time in his life, no matter what bribe he was offered. Some things just weren't worth it.

The trick in life was to figure out was worthwhile, and grasp it with both hands.

* * *

Maron slept in the next morning- not unusual for her, but this time she was having a hard time finding the energy to get out of bed. Something inside of her warned her that it was going to be One of Those Days, and every instinct urged her to just pull the blankets back over her head and forget about today. 

It was a Wednesday. She hated Wednesdays.

She knew that if she didn't get herself moving, Miyako would storm in and drag her out by the hair. She rushed around, popping a slice of bread in the toaster, washing her face, taking care of her hair, and sliding into her uniform. Grabbing her slice of toast, she spread it with marmalade and ate the sticky mess quickly, then took a moment to brush her teeth. Grabbing her backpack, she raced outside, only to run into Chiaki.

She had been moving with such speed that she sent both of them sprawling. As they fell, he caught her in his arms, taking the worst of the fall to shield her. With an "Oomph!" she landed on top of him.

For a second they both lay there, stunned. She stared into his chocolate brown eyes and felt herself drown in their warm depths. Then reality reasserted itself, and she jerked away, blushing like mad. "Sorry!" she exclaimed.

"No problem," he said, and she braced herself, waiting for the flirtatious remark she was sure would soon follow. To her surprise, he merely politely helped her to her feet. "Why are you in such a hurry? We're not due to meet for another three minutes."

"What?" she exclaimed, glancing at her watch. "That little sneak! She set my clock ahead!" Maron fumed, resolving to have a little "chat" with Fin Fish.

"Who did?" Chiaki asked curiously.

"Um... Miyako," Maron said, hoping to get away with the fib. She could always lie that the power went out if Miyako confessed to having no knowledge later.

Chiaki smiled at her. "Sounds like her," he agreed easily. Then he tilted his head, smiling charmingly at her. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Huh?" she asked.

"Miyako said you went to bed early last night, something about being sick," Chiaki said.

He had checked on me? she wondered. "Oh! That! I think I was just tired from gymnastics practice."

Chiaki smiled and was about to say something else when Miyako opened the door of her apartment. She called a cheerful "See you!" to her mother, then walked over to her friends with a perplexed expression on her face. "What are you two doing here already?" She directed this toward Maron, who starting looking anywhere except at Chiaki.

"We're waiting for you," Chiaki said easily. "Can I carry your bag, Miyako? I'm sure you're tired after last night."

Miyako laughed lightly, and cheerfully handed her bag over, while Maron fumed that he hadn't offered to do the same for her.

"Did Jeanne get away?" Maron asked quickly, remembering her lines.

She was surprised by Miyako's reaction. "Yes," the other girl said thoughtfully, but unlike usual, she didn't seem angered by the occurrence.

"Is something wrong, Miyako?"

Miyako gave her a smile that worried her. "Nothing. Nothing at all," she said. "In fact, something may just be right."

Maron and Chiaki looked at her in concern. "Are you okay?" Chiaki asked in concern.

"I'm fine!" Miyako assured her friends. "Come on- we'd better get going or we'll be late!"

* * *

Fin Fish flew around Tokyo, hunting out demons. 

The cloth around her legs whipped melodramatically as she thoughtfully attuned herself to the world around her, searching for presences that were unnatural. As an angel aligned with Heaven, she could easily sniff out the presences of demons who possessed pure hearts.

At least in theory.

Fin still wasn't a true angel, but she was working towards it. It was working with Jeanne that would make her or break her. Sometimes she wished for a more cooperative charged, but if she was to admit the truth, she wouldn't change a thing. Maron had such a loving heart, and she needed her. There was nothing like being needed.

During school hours, Fin would sometimes go out to find the next target. Sometimes she would be successful, other times she would not. Still-

Her musings were interrupted but a powerful surge of evil, one that nearly knocked her from the sky. She clutched her head in pain. She had never felt a demon this powerful... but where could it be coming from? And would Jeanne be strong enough to deal with it?


	4. Chapter 4

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Four_

Maron sat at her desk listening to the sensei lecture about functions, taking copious notes. Math was her worse subject. She didn't see the point in most of it, and doubted that she would ever use it. Still, she had to pass if she was to graduate.

That didn't mean she had to like it.

Beside her, Chiaki was spacing out, occasionally returning his attention to the lecture long enough to jot down a few notes. It was infuriating, but he was the smartest student in the class. He hardly needed to study this, and occasionally he'd nod as he listened to Pakkyamlamao-sensei, as though he was mentally ticking off a list of points. Then again, everything thing about Chiaki was infuriating.

She nibbled on the end of her pencil as the numbers swirled in front of her. She was going to need help. Perhaps she should arrange a study session with Miyako. Miyako would want to invite Chiaki, and he would, she grudgingly admitted to herself, patiently help her get it through her thick skull.

She was just about write a note to pass to Miyako on the subject when she saw Fin Fish pounding at the window urgently. Her eyes widened and she rose to her feet. "Kusakabe Maron! I have a headache!" she announced to the teacher, then hurried out of the room.

The other students, used to Maron's "headaches," ignored her but Chiaki glanced around and noticed the little angel at the window just before she flew off. "Nagoya Chiaki!" he declared, shutting his book and gathering his bag. "Sore throat!"

Miyako watched as he took off after Maron, and she wondered. What was he up to?

Maron quickly raced to the infirmary, where Fin Fish was waiting for her. "Couldn't this wait?" she demanded. "I have an extremely difficult math test coming up, and I really can't afford to miss class!"

Fin, rather then start her usual lecture, just looked at her with large emerald eyes. They looked almost feverish in her waxen face. "I don't think so," she whispered.

Maron looked at her close friend, and a surge of concern swelled in her breast. "Fin, are you okay?" she demanded, holding out a hand for Fin to sit on.

The angel almost collapsed in relief. "No," she whispered. "I found another demon."

Maron raised an eyebrow. "So? We'll just send a notice and I'll Checkmate- no biggie," she said.

"Maron… I've never felt a demon like this. This demon is strong. I'm not sure if you can Checkmate it…"

Maron gave her an unconcerned smile. "Fin, I'm Kaitou Jeanne! You know, strong and serious, matchless and marvelous? Trust me, I can handle this. What's the target."

"Tokyo Tower," Fin whispered.

"Tokyo Tower!" Maron yelled in shock. "You're kidding, right?"

"No- the demon has possessed the building itself. It's a wonderful place for it- all those pure hearts, admiring the city. It's accumulated a remarkable amount of energy- so much that I doubt you'll be able to contain it in the pin."

"Well, I have to try!" Maron said stubbornly. "Send a notice- say, for five o'clock. I'll go pull up some information on the net, and we'll figure out a plan of attack."

She quickly stood up and started towards her apartment, mentally making a note to call Chiaki and Miyako over later to help her with what she had missed.

Outside of the infirmary, Chiaki lurked in the shadows as he thoughtfully reviewed what he had overheard. He, too, took off for his apartment after waiting for a few minutes so Maron would have enough time to get a decent distance ahead of him. There was no way in hell he wanted to blow his cover.

* * *

Miyako normally got pissed off whenever a notice arrived. She would usually be downright livid when both kaitou targeted the same object, since Sinbad and Jeanne had a way of making the detectives trip over each other when they arrived that was humiliating. This time she couldn't bring herself to feel anger.

Shock, yes. Amazement, and a certain amount of respect at their sheer gall. How the hell do the kaitou plan on stealing Tokyo Tower? she wondered.

She looked at her father, who had been fretting ever since receiving the notice two hours ago. She had gotten herself excused from class to help him, but none of them were exactly sure what to do. How were you suppose to protect a building from being stolen? Particularly one of the most famous landmarks in the city?

The others milled around as they established a perimeter. The city was taking the threat deadly seriously. They had given the Kaitou Jeanne Task Force extra back up, and they were told that any measures would be acceptable to capture the thieves- or at least prevent the theft of the Tower. Jeanne and Sinbad, between the two of them, had never missed a target before, and even though it sounded ludicrous that they would succeed this time around, no one was taking any chances.

Miyako glanced at her watch. Ten minutes until they came, and she had no clue what to do. Usually they rested a few days between each one of their heists, giving her a chance to think, but this was the third one in less then three days. She was starting to run out of ideas, and seriously questioning if she was wasting her time pursuing Jeanne. No matter what she did, the female kaitou was a good three steps ahead of her.

And if that hadn't been bad enough, Kaitou Sinbad had changed his hunting grounds to where Jeanne was, rather then remaining in his own ward of Tokyo. He seemed to take a gleeful delight in driving Jeanne nuts, challenging the other thief (and by, by extension, Miyako), and Miyako half-hoped that Jeanne would put him in his place. They already had one thief to deal with- why should Sinbad come over and bug them? Wasn't there enough for him to steal somewhere else?

Which made her wonder. The thefts by Jeanne and Sinbad didn't follow any normal pattern. Both of them sent notice before they came, given the police a chance to prepare. The stolen goods never turned up on the black market. Sometimes Jeanne or Sinbad wouldn't even touch the item, and it would vanish. No matter where the item was hidden, Jeanne always was able to find it. Often times the owners, who had previously been obsessed with their possession, would shrug off its loss as though it was not a big deal. Miyako knew something was not right, and she was determined to get down to the bottom of it. So many mysteries danced around the kaitou.

"Are we ready?" she asked her father, trying to hide the nervousness.

"As ready as we'll ever be. We're going to keep them away from the building proper."

"Are the helicopters all up there?" Miyako asked. She looked up and saw only one hovering nearby.

"No air traffic is being allowed within a mile of the building except for emergency vehicles. They've divided the area into separate patrols."

Miyako looked at all the security men swarming over the building, plus the guard dogs, lights, and other high-tech contraptions. She sighed at the high security, recognizing that most likely it would be futile. Jeanne wouldn't have sent notice if she didn't think there was a way she could succeed.

Then they heard it. "Game Start!"

Jeanne stood silhoetted in the setting sun, and Maron thought, not for the first time, that the thief timed her notices so she could have the best possible entrance. Melodrama was something Kaitou Jeanne (and Sinbad for that matter) had down pat.

An impish smile dance on Miyako's face as she ordered the first line of defense out. This force was comprised of the bulk of the extras the city had sent. She knew that had no real chance of napping ththief, but that wasn't their primary purpose. If she could wear Jeanne down, she might-just might- make a mistake which would get her caught, tied up, and in prison where she belonged.

"Kaitou Sinbad is here," another voice said, appearing from around the same area as Jeanne.

Jeanne shot him a dirty glance. "Can't you go bug someone else for a change?" she asked.

"This isn't a good idea, Jeanne. You don't have the strength to complete this Checkmate."

Miyako watched as the two theives deftly wove through the crowd of rookie cops as they argued fiercely. "And I suppose you do?" she asked, kicking out at him.

Sinbad dodged swiftly, catching her foot. Jeanne kicked him with her other foot in an incredible display of agility."Do you know I just saw the best American film?" she asked Sinbad, her voice turning teasing.

The other kaitou threw the rookie who had been going for him at HER, and she cheerfully decked the man hard enough to give him double vision.

"A Sandra Bullock film... Ms. Congeniality. It taught me how to SING! Solarplexus, instep, nose, groin!" she said, hitting yet more rookies as she explained.

Miyako giggled. She'd seen that movie too, with Maron at the theaters, and they'd both like that part. All the woman in the audience had, but the men had been wincing.

Sinbad seemed to agree as he cleared the last of the first line. "Jeanne, sometimes you are too much."

She gave him a "V for Victory" sign, then continued towards the building. "I wonder what our charming detectives have for us next?"

Miyako laughed and hit the button which signaled the release of the canine units. "Oh, shit," Sinbad cursed under his breath. "Shit, shit, shit!"

Jeanne seemed to agree, and started to back away. "Nice doggie... how about you go after the guy with blue hair? He has more meat on his bones..."

Now it was Sinbad's turn to give her a dirty look. "You're real helpful."

Jeanne grinned back at him nervously, then produced her petit clare. Holding it up, she summoned her rebound ball mentally. "Rebound Ball- GO!" she yelled, pitching it with unerring aim at the helicopter that was hovering above them.

Miyako almost didn't believe her eyes. The ball raced towards the copter with blinding speed and hooked onto the bottom. Jerking her wrist, Jeanne started to ascend. Sinbad jumped at her and wrapped his arms around her waist, something the little theif clearly wasn't happy about. "Let go of me!" she shrieked, trying to shake him off.

Miyako sighed as she called in her third, and final, line of defense. The Four Seasons and her father looked at each other, nodding grimly. They had been told any means, and if that meant hurting Jeanne, they would do so. Tokyo Tower was a national treasure.

Akita threw a knife at them to sever the rope. The two kaitou were hovering a good three stories off the ground, so when they fell, the fall would hurt.

The knife separated the rope and they tumbled to the ground. Sinbad, at the last second, shift his body so he took the brunt of the fall. Jeanne pulled herself to her feet. "I don't need your help!" she yelled. Haruto shot a net at her, which she avoided. "You, demon borne in darkness-" she began.

"Jeanne!" Sinbad yelled, "you can't do this! You aren't strong enough!"

"I seal you here! Checkmate!"

With unerring accuracy she cast forth a white pin. Miyako wanted to scream in frustration- she knew that this meant the thief would succeed in her theft.

The lights in the Tower went out, and everyone blinked as a wail rose up from the very foundation. Jeanne stood firmly as lights began to flickered, then one by one, burst, sending glass everywhere. Police officers took to the ground, shielding their faces from the sharp shards that sprayed everywhere. Miyako watched in horror as Jeanne began to scream as well.

"Jeanne, stop it!" Sinbad yelled. "You're not strong enough!"

"Never!" she yelled back.

"Jeanne!" he called, rushing to her side.

She went to her knees, fierce eyes still on the place where her pin was stuck in the metal. "Strong and serious..." she panted, staring at it, "matchless and marvelous... cheerful and courageous!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

Miyako watched at the last light blew, and an eerie silence descended upon the Tower.

Then Jeanne collapsed.

"Someone get her while she's down!" she yelled, and Fuyuta happily obliged, racing towards the prone girl.

Sinbad, though, beat the police there. Scooping the other thief up into his arms, he cradled her against his chest. Then he vanished- literally. One second he was there, the next, there was nothing but air.


	5. Chapter 5

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Five_

Miyako yelled into her cellphone, "I don't care what your excuse is, I want to know how the hell both of them managed to get in and out of here!"

Akita was the unlucky detective who had drawn the duty of accompanying Miyako while she inspected the premises. "Miyako, go gentle on them. They're new- they can't be expected to catch Jeanne and Sinbad where we failed."

The teen stalked around angrily, frustrated. "I know that!" she snapped at the dapper young detective. "It's just that I have no clue what happened! What were they fighting about? What was Jeanne trying to do that upset Sinbad so much? Why the hell did they both leave, and how did they manage it? One minute they were there... the next moment they were not! It was impossible, but those two seem to be making a career of doing the impossible!"

"Well, at least the Tower's still there," Akita said cheerfully, trying to soothe her a little.

"For how long? They'll be back," Miyako said bitterly.

He had no answer to that.

"Miyako!" her father called. "Look what we found!" He held out an object that had been carefully bagged. "We'll dust for fingerprints, but I doubt we'll find them."

Miyako went over to her father, her eyebrows moving towards her hairline. "It's a pin," she said, staring at the small white item.

"It's what Jeanne threw at the tower," he agreed. "It was actually lodged in the metal, if you can believe it. We had to pry it out."

"My goodness," Miyako murmured. She stared at the beautiful white pin. "What's it made of?" she asked.

"Dunno. We're going to be sending it to that lab."

Miyako took the bag in her hands and carefully weighed it. It was surprisingly heavy. Part of her believed that it was made out of white marble, though that didn't seem quite right. A marble pin of this design would be frighteningly expensive, and would serve no purpose. Then again much of what the two legendary kaitou did was without evident meaning. "It's pretty," she said.

"This is the first time either of them has left any physical evidence behind at the scene, so it's important."

Miyako nodded. "They fought again," she told her father.

"Fought? It looked like they were in on this one together- Sinbad helped Jeanne make her getaway. It's not the first time that's happened."

"No... but they seem to be competing, and occasionally that leads to some serious tension between them. Once or twice it's left them in some really tight spots. Jeanne and Sinbad will use each other as bait. They know each other."

"Catch one, we'll catch the other?" her father asked, trying to clarify his daughter's train of thought.

"Exactly."

"Well, we'll do our best, but catching one has been a problem so far."

"Haven't you heard that the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime?" Miyako asked with an almost feral expression on her face. "They'll be back, and Jeanne is weak right now. If we take her out, Sinbad is sure to follow."

* * *

A mile away, Sinbad placed his female counterpart on a bench. Long dark lashes cut crescents across her pale cheeks as her chest lifted with slow, easy breathing. Her golden hair had worked free of its ponytail and small tendrils of it brushed enticingly against her ivory face. 

She was, in a word, beautiful.

More then anything, he wanted to take her home so she could recooperate in her own bed. She had just spent an amazing amount of energy attempting to Checkmate a demon too strong for her, and he was worried about how healthy she would be. It would take her a few days to recover at the very least.

But her couldn't bring her home. That would demonstrate his knowledge of her real identity, and that was the last thing he wanted to do. If he did that, she would rapidly put the pieces together and deduce who he was. He didn't want to be in the same country should that happen. Maron had quite a temper and wouldn't take to the truth very well. In fact, it could be rather painful.

Shaking his head, he looked at the other kaitou, amazed at how small she was. As either Maron or Jeanne she had such presence that she dwarfed those around her, yet without the force of her personality, she looked small and vulnerable, and his protective instincts kicked in.

Without thinking on what he was doing, Sinbad brought a hand forward to brush a lock of errant hair away from her eyes. His gentle touch caused the eyes to snap open.

Jeanne jerked away from him, sitting upright. "What are you doing?" she rasped in a hoarse voice. She tried to get to her feet, but was dizzy trying to move.

He made up a quick lie. "Checking to see if you have a temperature."

She glared at him. "I don't need your sympathy!"

"Jeanne, you almost killed yourself with tonight's Checkmate. You tried to take on a demon that was more powerful then you, using only the pin. If I hadn't been there you would have died."

What little color Jeanne had drained out of her face. "Liar," she whispered, but her voice lacked conviction.

"Don't you even know what you're doing?" he asked.

"I am the reincarnation of Joan of Arc!" she said proudly. "I am the one who was summoned by God to banish demons from this world. You, Sinbad, are not welcome!"

He shook his head, and his eyes studied her with something approaching contempt. "You are ignorant, Jeanne. I am not an agent of the devil; I work for myself, and myself alone," he told her coolly.

She made a derisive noise close to a snort. "You expect me to believe your lies?"

"I expect you to believe the truth, the evidence of your eyes, and your heart." Her defiant glare didn't abate, and he sighed. "Very well, Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne. When you're ready to learn, I will be a mentor to you," he informed her. Then he turned his back on her and left.

She watched him go, then released the image of Jeanne, and along with it, most of her remaining strength. Kusakabe Maron sat where a second before one of the most elusive thieves in Tokyo's history had existed.

Exhausted beyond almost all words, she brought her knees to her chest, hugging them close for warmth. It was a balmy night, yet she was shivering with cold. What was wrong with her?

"Why couldn't I finish that Checkmate?" she whispered, the night absorbing her words. They sounded empty and hopeless.

"I don't know," Fin Fish whispered, appearing suddenly.

"Where were you, Fin?" Maron demanded.

Fin gave her a guilty look. "I couldn't get close enough to you to communicate using the petit clare. The demon was simply too powerful. Maron, I don't know what to do," she confessed. She sat on Maron's lap, her posture the very picture of dejection. Her pristine white feathers drooped and her face was depressed.

"We can't just leave a demon like that to steal the hearts of those who love the Tower," Maron agreed. Without thinking about it, she nibbled on her lip, trying to get her head straightened out. "We'll have to make another attempt." She held out her rosary for her to charge. "Fin..."

Fin looked at Maron in shock. "Now?" she demanded.

"They won't be expecting me to come at them again so soon. Come on," she said.

Fin shook her head, denying Maron's request. "Maron, can you even stand up? You don't have the strength to become Jeanne right now, and I'm not going to let you! They'll catch you at the very least, and if things go badly enough, you could die!"

"But I can't let that demon get away!" Maron said fiercely.

"No, but think rationally! You're doing no one any good if you get hurt! Please, Maron!" the angel begged, tears starting to brim over in her huge green eyes.

Maron looked like she was going to keep arguing, but finally nodded with reluctant agreement. "You're right. But we go as soon as we figure out what to do."

Fin returned her nod. "Are you strong enough to get home?"

Maron looked around, and was surprised that she recognized her surroundings. "We're in that park close to my apartment," she murmured. "It's not that far -- after all, how else am I to get home? I'll be fine."

"Kami-sama will provide," Fin Fish said mischeviously. Then she winked playfully and darted upwards before Maron could ask her what she meant.

Maron had lied when she had assured her companion she could get home. As she rose to her feet, she was overwhelmed by a wave of dizziness that swept through her body. She couldn't recall ever being this exhausted, she worried. Sometimes after a Checkmate she would need almost immediate sleep, but it had never been disabling.

"Drat," she fumed, wondering where the nearest phone was, and hoping she had her phone card on her. But who could she call? Hey, Miyako, I just was out as Jeanne and wasn't able to complete my theft, and I managed to drain all my energy and am as weak as a newborn babe... could you come and get me? That would go over real well.

"Maron?" a voice said in surprise. She looked over her shoulder, and was surprised to see Chiaki jogging toward her, wearing sweats.

"Chiaki!" she said with equal surprise.

He advanced rapidly, bending over to catch his breath. "Was out for a job. What were...you don't look so good." He pressed a hand against her forehead. "You have a fever. Can you walk?" he demanded.

"No," she said in a small voice.

"Come on," he said, then he bent and picked her up. "I'll take you home."

She relaxed against his shoulder, and soon drifted off into the land of much-needed sleep.

Chiaki held her close as he made his way to his apartment. He'd had to double-time it as Sinbad, making a risky trip home to get his sweats so Maron wouldn't suspect, but he had had no other option. Telling her his identity was out of the question. Her body was warm and soft in his arms, and her hair smelled like strawberries.

He walked the four blocks to their apartment building in a hurry, ignoring the stares of the other pedestrians. Entering hastily, he took the elevator, determined to get her in her own bed as soon as possible. He, better than anyone, understood exactly what her body was going through. He'd experienced a reaction like this once when he had been starting out, before he had realized exactly what a Checkmate was. Apparently Maron hadn't, or else she would have been more careful.

He hated having to wake her, but he had no choice. "Key?" he said gently into her ear.

She murmured something softly in her sleep, then produced a key from her pocket, handing it over without a qualm. Taking it, he opened the door.

Their apartments were mirrors of each other, so he knew about where her bedroom was located. Carrying her threw the living area, he opened the door, and was surprised by how feminine the decor was. Not that he should have been, but Maron had never struck him as a girl who wanted to be girlie.

He set her on the bed and removed her boots before sliding her beneath the blankets. Going into the bathroom, he found a washcloth and wet it down with cool water. He planned on placing it on her head to attempt to bring her fever down. After he had done so, he looked at her.

"Sleep well, Maron," he whispered, brushing a kiss over her soft lips.


	6. Chapter 6

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Six_

Maron awoke from a pleasantly groggy state to return to the unwanted phase of existence known as reality. Ever muscle in her body was aching, and she wondered exactly what had hit her.

She blinked, trying to organize her hazy thoughts. She had... tried to Checkmate last night, and for the first time, the demon had been more powerful then she. Sinbad had saved her, only to abandon her in a Park. Then Chiaki had come and taken her home. All in all, it had been a hectic day.

She felt like a wrung out dishrag. She had used far too much energy trying to Checkmate, and she had nothing to show for it aside from a colossal headache. She attempted to sit up, only to fall back on the pillows, and feel the pain in her forehead increase. It felt like someone had taken a hammer and was trying to work their way out of her skull from the inside. I'm too damn weak to even sit up straight! She thought furiously. How the hell am I going to do anything? I've got a Checkmate to make! Not to mention that damn math test!

"Just lie down, Maron," a voice said softly. She started, and then groaned as the movement sent another spike of pain through her. "I've got something for the headache. Open your mouth."

She was too tired to argue. Two small bitter pills were placed on her tongue when her lips opened. He then lifted her had up and held a cup to her mouth. "Swallow," he commanded, and she did so.

"I feel awful," she whispered.

"I'm not surprised." A cool cloth wiped her face. "Your skin is clammy to the touch, and your cheeks are flushed. I had to carry you home last night."

She muttered under her breath, tried to sit up again, and failed. "How am I going to take that test?" she said. She would have wailed, but even the sound of her own voice sent sharp jabs of refreshed agony through her head.

Chiaki's voice soothed her. "It's okay. I'll talk to Pakkyamlamao-sensei, get you an extension."

"Do you think..." Maron said, trying to not sound too hopeful.

"I think so. Now how about trying to get some sleep? Or do you want something to eat?"

Her stomach rebelled at the idea of food, but she knew she should eat something. "I have some Gatorade in the fridge. It'll probably help me feel a bit better."

He nodded. "Restore your electrolytes," he agreed. He hurried into the kitchen and she heard the sound of him fumbling through her cabinets as he tried to find a glass. The noise seemed to vibrate inside of her head, and she wished that someone would put her out of her misery. She hated being sick.

He came back moments later, holding up a clear glass full of light blue liquid. "Whatever happened to the days when it was just- well, red?"

She looked at it, not in the mood for his lousy jokes. "This tastes better," she stated abruptly.

He propped her up against a few overly stuff pillows and she was relieved that the pills he had given her had already started to take effect. He helped her take a few sips, and the entire exercise exhausted her.

There was the distant sound of pounding, like someone knocking on a door. "Maron!" a voice called.

She flinched as she heard someone yelling her name. "That sounded like Miyako. She's here to pick me up for school."

"I'll go tell her we're not coming."

"We're!" she exclaimed, then immediately regretting it. Her voice vibrated in her head like cymbals. Pain, pain, pain. She should have known to keep her mouth shut.

"Someone needs to watch over you, and Miyako can't afford to miss anymore class- she's really busy helping her father chase Jeanne and Sinbad."

"But-" she began to protest.

"No buts. It's a done deal. You just stay right here and I'll go ask Miyako to collect our homework." He left the room, and she scowled at his back.

Maron fumed. "Insufferably bossy prig!"

"Is he gone?" a small voice said quietly from the windowsill.

"Fin!" Maron exclaimed. "Where did you get to last night?"

The little angel flew over and gently perched on Maron's lap, studying her with intent eyes. "I thought Chiaki would be able to deal with you, so I got out of the way. He makes me nervous."

"You don't like him?" Maron asked, surprised.

"It's not that exactly. Anyway, how are you feeling?"

Maron recognized an attempt to change the subject when she heard one, but she let her friend get away with it. "Absolutely lousy. My head is killing me, I think I have a fever, and I have no energy."

"I'm not surprised. You used too much energy trying to Checkmate last night. You should be better in a few days."

"Three."

"What!" Fin exclaimed, horrified.

"I want you to send notice for three days. I have to go back out, or Sinbad is going to win."

"Win? You nearly died and you're worried about Sinbad 'winning!'"

Maron stared blankly. "I nearly died!"

"You did! If Sinbad hadn't helped you when he did, you wouldn't have had enough energy to keep your heart beating when you let go of your transformation! I don't like him, but you owe him your life!"

"Why would he save me?" she whispered in a wondering voice.

"I don't know! But he must have had some reason!"

Maron blinked, trying to integrate the new knowledge. She had almost died. It made being a kaitou seem less of a game, and all the sudden dangerously real. "Three days. I'll figure something out before then."

Fin Fish nodded reluctantly. "Three days. I'll have a notice ready." She rose and stretched slowly. "Chiaki's coming back, so I'll leave you alone to get some sleep." The angel smiled and flew up to place a kiss on Maron's forehead. "Sleep now." Her tiny hands lit up with a faint green light.

Entranced by the hypnotic power Fin was using, Maron fell into a healing sleep, aided by the love of an emissary of God.

* * *

Miyako knocked on Maron's door, impatient. "Maron!" she yelled for what must have been the fifteenth time. "Hurry up or we'll be late!" Losing Jeanne the night before had put her in a foul mood, and now that Maron was late, as usual. She was just about to pound on the door with her fist one last time when the door swung open.  
"It's about time- Chiaki!" she exclaimed, seeing a pair of unexpected blue eyes. Ruthlessly she suppressed the feelings of suspicion that welled up in her. "What are you doing at Maron's place?" she asked, trying to keep her voice neutral. It was probably something innocent- maybe he had come over for breakfast, as he was always threatening to do.

He raised a finger to his lips, indicating that she should be quiet as he stepped out into the hall. "Maron's sick- she won't be able to go to school. I'm going to stay here and watch her."

"She's sick?" Miyako asked, making a move to go into her friend's apartment.

Chiaki blocked her by moving. "I just got her to take something to help her sleep- she's going to be out of it. I'm going to stay with her today. Could you please collect our homework?"

Miyako's heart pounded. "Why not let my mother know? She can keep an eye on her- she stays at home, and that's what's happened in the past when Maron's ill." She didn't like the thought of Chiaki spending the day alone with a vulnerable Maron- whether it was out of concern for her friend or for her crush, she wasn't sure.

"You can tell her, but I'm staying anyway," Chiaki said. His eyes were strangely gentle as he glanced at the door. "She would do the same for me."

"Yes, but Chiaki... you can't really afford to miss school, can you? You're absent quite a lot," Miyako said, trying a different tact.

"That's not a concern. I still have the highest grades in class, as you very well know. If Maron's feeling better later, I might help her with her studying."

"It'd be more efficient if you went so you knew what you were tutoring her in."

"Please, Miyako?" he said, giving her a pleading look.

She sighed, unable to deny him. "Fine."

He flashed her a smile that went to her very bones; a brilliant, charismatic smile that was all for her. "I knew I could count on you!" With that, he opened the door to Maron's apartment quietly and went back in.

Miyako basked in the remembered glow of his smile before a thought occurred to her. "How did he know she was sick before I did?" she wondered aloud. Something was going on, and she was going to find out.

But first she had classes.

* * *

Chiaki was dead tired. His antics as Sinbad the night before had taken their toll, and he had been up all night trying to keep Maron alive. She had come dangerously close to killing herself. It was only by using some of his personal power that she had managed to survive the night.

He knew about magic, knew the costs and consequences, better then most. Magic could be an internal or external thing. His family had always used magic, but he was the strongest to be born in recorded history. The portents on the night of his birth had been enough that anyone who knew enough to read them had shivered in fear- no one should be that powerful.

And then Maron had been born, and the world itself had unconsciously quivered.

Joan of Arc walked the earth again. He thought it strange that she was still so ignorant about the true nature of her powers, wondered how she had survived all these years alone. The Devil himself was her opponent, and she'd been stripped of her family early. Even raw talent like hers needed training.

He moved back into her room, smiling at her. The two pills he'd given her had been designed to help a person recover their magic, and soothe the trauma of magic burn. They weren't the type of things that could be bought over the counter; he had made them himself. Chiaki himself had taken one shortly after, and knew he was about to crash.

While he hadn't attempted to Checkmate, he had spontaneously teleported with a passenger, a very complex and tiring spell. Glancing around to check for a green-haired jun tenshi, he was relieved that she wasn't around. That meant it was safe for him to cast a simply cantrip, one that would alert him if Maron needed him for anything.

He murmured under his breath as he wove his fingers in an elaborate, yet short, pattern, taking the mana in the room and bending it to his will. Luckily such a small spell didn't require him to use his personal reserves, something he could ill afford to do. He drew on the earth's inherent mana, smiling slightly as the power embraced him. It was so addicting that it would be easy to cast spell after spell until he died, worn out by channeling.

The tendrils of magic reached out and wrapped around Maron gently. Had he been using his mage-sight, he would have seen the light blue fibers encase her gently, tying her to him. It wasn't an offensive spell, nothing that could hurt her, so her native defenses didn't kick in. Instead, he was suddenly more aware of her, her presence tingling against his skin, her fatigue conveying itself so well that he nearly collapsed on the spot. Somehow or other he managed to make his was to the couch in the living room, where he shut his eyes and almost immediately fell asleep.

It was a few hours before he felt a tug on the spell, warning him that Maron was stirring. He rolled off the couch and shoved his feet back into his slippers, padding over to the door. "Maron?" he called out. Chiaki heard her murmur sleepily, and took it for an invitation to enter. "Feeling better?" he asked cheerily.

"I feel wonderful," she said sarcastically. "The hammer in my head has decreased about two sizes- does that count?"

"Can't you think about anything except your head?" he asked.

"Right now the pain that's there won't let me," she said.

He thought carefully before making an offer. Chiaki was well aware of the fact that Maron suspected his motives, but there was something he could do. "I know you're going to accuse me of being a pervert, but I do have an idea that might help."

She raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. "What?"

"I'm really good at given massages."

"No!" she yelled, feeling blood rush to her face and her head explode again.

"Maron, honestly. It'd help you relax, and if you relax, some of the pain might dissipate."

"But-" she began, then sighed. Chiaki would argue and argue, and in her current state, she knew she'd lose. "Fine. Touch anywhere inappropriate and I hand you your head on a platter."

"I won't," he promised, trying to get his eyes to reflect his sincerity. He honestly didn't want to set her off. He had had magic burn before, and he knew it felt simply miserable. If she would let him work on her, though, he'd be able to do some more channeling, and hopefully get her back up on her feet sooner. "Roll over so I can work on your back."  
She had regained enough strength to do so without his help, though it was an effort. He pulled the blanket off and knelt besides her, moving her hair off her back and onto her shoulders. "Let me know if I do anything that doesn't feel right. A massage shouldn't hurt."

His strong fingers brushed against her back gently and she blushed slightly, unused to anyone being so intimate with her. After a minute, she relaxed, and then he began to work in earnest.

Chiaki hadn't lied- he was good. He seemed to know just the right amount of pressure to apply, and where to apply it. He found knots in her muscles that she hadn't even been aware of having, and his long soothing strokes soon had her ready to purr like a kitten. Maron was slowly de-evolving into a pile of goo, and she had no objections.

Unbeknown to her, Chiaki was using his admittedly limited healing magic (his spells tended to be of a more offensive nature) to bolster her reserves. She was bouncing back remarkably fast- she would have to take tomorrow and Saturday off, but she'd be ready for school Monday. And probably ready to transform into Jeanne not much longer after that. The idea made him nervous. There was still the matter of Tokyo Tower to settle.

He would have to Checkmate before then.


	7. Chapter 7

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Seven_

"ARRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHH!"

Miyako was ready to tug her hair out. She picked up a pillow on the couch and punched it angrily. She'd stopped in to change before going to visit Maron, but the news awaiting her at home was enough to put her best friend's welfare out of her mind temporarily.

"Calm down, Miyako," her father said, trying to soothe her. "We've two days to get something set up!"

"Two hours, two days, two weeks- what difference does it make? I can't believe Sinbad sent yet another notice- this makes it- what? The fourth time this week?" She threw the pillow down and started to hunt for something glass to break.

"He and Jeanne missed a target for the first time- of course they're coming back. Though how they plan to steal the tower..." Her father sounded slightly perplexed.

"That pin Jeanne threw had something to do with it. Are the lab reports back?" she asked, forcing herself to sit down and take a few deep breaths and think with her head, rather then her emotions. The two kaitou seemed to exist to piss her off.

His expression grew even more puzzled. "Yes. No prints, as we expected. And the weird thing is, they can't identify it."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Wait a sec," he told her, heading over to the closet where he kept his briefcase when he was at home. She watched him pull it out and pop the lock, then flip through a few files before selecting one. "Take a look at this."

She read them over intently, and studied the reports. She wasn't a science major, but something immediately struck her. "It's harder then diamond?" Diamond had a hardness of 10- it was the hardest element known to man.

"Yes. They weren't able to cut a piece of it, so they had to perform the tests on the entire piece."

She winced. She knew what the tests could do to something- sometimes in trying to identify something, they would destroy it.

"Don't worry- it's still in one piece, and looks just like it did when we collected it from the crime scene."

"It survived the acid tests?"

"And the electroscope, density... you name it, we tried it. We're not able to tell what the hell it is, only that the thing is solid and that it's denser than anything we've ever seen. The scientists would love to get their hands on Jeanne to ask her some questions. It looks like an entirely new compound, possibly even a stable element."

"I always said she was no ordinary thief. I wonder if Sinbad's pins are made of the same material?"

"Doesn't he use black?" her father pointed out.

"Hmmm, well. it could be a variation. You know a lot of compounds come in multiple colors, depending on the exact composition," Miyako said. "For every answer we get, though, we come up with a dozen more questions." She stared at the picture of the pin, noticing how the light had reflected off the surface, giving it a pearly sheen. "Exactly what is Jeanne?" she whispered. There were too many things about the kaitou that just didn't make sense.

"Huh?" her father said, not following her.

"Nothing, nothing, Dad," she said, smiling at him. He'd think she was nuts if she started to talk about her suspicions, and probably remove her from his team, which was the last thing she wanted. She would catch Jeanne and Sinbad, both, if it killed her. She felt like she was on the verge of a breakthrough. Knowledge was power, and she almost had enough to

"Did you stop to see Maron today?" her mother called from the kitchen. "I brought her and Nagoya-kun some soup for dinner- I figured it was the least I could do."

Miyako didn't even bother asking how Akiko knew Maron had been ill. Her mother had a radar for the other girl, considering her a second daughter. "No, Mom. I wanted to talk Dad first. I'm on my way over now."

Her mother smiled at her as she grabbed her bag and left. Miyako didn't even bother to change into street shoes- she was merely going across the hall. It was wonderful that she lived so close to her best friend. She knocked on the door softly, and entered without waiting for an answer.

Chiaki sat on the couch, watching television. She tried to see exactly what show he was watching, and wasn't surprised to see that it was Inu Yasha. He looked up and smiled at her. "Ah, Miyako!" Chiaki sounded glad to see her, and gave her a grin that lit up his chocolate brown eyes. "Good day at school?" He rose to his feet in a lithe movement, coming over to stand within arm's reach.

"The usual," she said, trying to keep from brightening too much at his interest in her. She hated how she immediately dissolved into a puddle of goo whenever he flirted with her. He was handsome, sure, but she had other priorities. She didn't need a man to fulfill her.

No matter how cute.

"How's Maron?" she asked, trying to keep her blush within manageable levels.

"She's better. She had some of the soup your mother made -thank her again for me, it was delicious- and was up for a little while. She's napping again now, but I think she'll wake up in half an hour or so. Did you get our stuff?" he asked. He raised his arms towards the ceiling, stretching slowly, as though his back was bothering him.

She ignored that. "Yes, it's in my bag," she said, an unwilling smile springing to life as he continued to grin at her. Damn, the boy was just too handsome for his own good. Everything he did just drew attention to his physical perfection.

He reached out and squeezed her shoulder gently in thanks. "You're wonderful." Then his expression grew slightly pensive. "I hate to ask this of you, but I have to do a few errands. Can you keep Maron company? I really don't want to leave her alone."

"Of course I will!" Miyako said. "Didn't I volunteer already?"

Chiaki's smile lit his eyes, and for a second she let herself drown in the pools of warm chocolate. "Thank you. You're a wonderful friend to Maron- and to me." He bent over and kissed her cheek briefly, barely brushing her skin with his lips, and then was gone.

She stared at the door he vanished through blankly for a second before picking up the remote to turn the television off, acting mechanically while her mind spun.

Chiaki had kissed her... Chiaki had kissed her. Chiaki had kissed her.

Miyako collapsed in a heap on the couch, all thoughts of catching kaitou gone from her mind.

* * *

Chiaki paid the admission price to the Tokyo Tower, pretending to drop his money as an excuse to bend over so he could shove one of his pins into the floor. People wouldn't notice it: he'd carefully placed a "don't see me" spell on all of his pins before coming. Then he handed the attendant 1000 yen and waited patiently as she handed him back his change.

The demon's presence hummed along his senses, and he was glad he hadn't had anything to eat all day (despite claiming Toudaiji-san's soup was wonderful), or else he would have been sick. The atmosphere was oppressive to someone with any sort of skill in magic. A simple banishment wouldn't work, he could tell immediately. The demon's evil permeated the foundation of the building, and the workers seemed to be drained and tired. They weren't possessed, but the demon was tapping into their energy.

He wandered around the lower observation deck, pretending to enjoy the view of Tokyo while he secretly planted his pins all over. His head hurt, and even though his activities hadn't caught the attention of the demon, the possibility worried him. He might have to become Sinbad, something he didn't want to do. He had enough energy to make the transformation, but he was running below his normal levels. If he tried to teleport now, should things go wrong, he'd end up in the same condition Maron was in.

After a suitable time on the first level, he took the elevator to the second level. The floor hummed beneath him with concealed energy, the energy that the demon had been draining. He hadn't found the person who had been possessed, and that worried him. A possibility started to nag at the corner of his mind, something dreadful he didn't want to consider.

On the second observation level the demon's presence was more intense. Damn powerful demon. Perhaps even one with a Name, though the very idea made him shiver. Going up against one of the Named was beyond his means. Kaitou Sinbad was powerful, but he was still only mortal. Even Kaitou Jeanne would have think twice about it- not that she would. Knowing her, she would plunge right in, rather than consider things. Then again, she probably didn't even have a clue exactly what a Named demon was. She was so certain of God's love for her, so sure that he would protect her.

He envied her faith. He stuck one of the pins into the wall beside the elevator and headed towards the center to take a seat.

Another wave of nausea assaulted him, worse then any he'd experienced before. Cold sweat beaded on his face, and his legs grew weak. Chiaki tried to advance, but was forced away.

Shit.

His instincts had been right. The demon was powerful, powerful enough to have earned itself a Name.

* * *

A few hours later he sat in the same park he had found Maron in the prior night, Access perched on right knee. The night air was slightly, chilly, but he didn't notice. He was cold on the inside- cold and hot at the same time. He wasn't his usual confident self. Chiaki was smart enough to recognize when something was beyond his capabilities, and a Named was certainly that.

He looked at Access Time, his eyes looking almost like the blue of his other self in the twilight. "It's not an ordinary demon, Access. This demon has a Name. A Checkmate won't work on him. I might be able to siphon off his power enough for someone else to finish the job, if I can find out what Name he claims as his own, but for that to work..."

"...you'll need Maron's help. Or should I say Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne."

Chiaki sighed. "More than that. This demon has a direct link to Hell. For it to be sealed, Jeanne and Sinbad must come into true being."

The kuroi tenshi's jaw dropped. "It's too soon..." he whispered.

"It has to be now. Have you noticed? I don't get noticeably older when I become Sinbad anymore. That means..." he trailed off, not wanting to voice it. It was a terrifying thought.

Access, though, knew that it had to be done. "That your final transformation will be very soon."

Chiaki's eyes were frightened. For once he seemed much younger than his seventeen years, and no trace of cockiness marred his expression. "And that means I'll die."

"Sinbad..." Access said, trying to express his sympathy.

"I'm scared," he whispered, burying his face in his hands. "I'm only seventeen. Why does it have to be me?"

Access Time stood up and floated backwards, then flickered, accessing a power he hadn't tried to invoke before. To Access' slight amazement, it worked. Slowly violet light enveloped him, and he took the form of a True Angel, an angel the size of a man. His dark feathers swept the floor as he took the human boy into his arms, hugging him tightly to offer comfort. "Because there is no one else. You know the truth, and that carries a hefty responsibility."

Chiaki was not fond of hugs for comfort, but Access was an angel, and his very nature made it soothing. He leaned into his guardian, feeling the press of the warm silk against his cheek as he buried his face against Access's shoulder. "It will be all right. Trust in God," Access said, his voice sounding more like an adult male's than a teenager.

"I don't trust in anyone, not even myself," Chiaki answered softly.

"Then trust in Jeanne. You love her, and to love is to trust."

"I do not!"

"Oh?" Access said.

"I don't!" Chiaki protested. "How can I love her? She's everything I'm not! She's naive and childish, unwilling to acknowledge reality! She accepts things without question, trusting whatever Fin Fish says without even bothering to think about it! She's my rival! I told you before- it's a game!"

Access Time pulled back enough so Chiaki could see his fanged grin. "I'll let you go on thinking that for now, but sooner or later, you'll have to be honest with yourself. The truth may be painful, but it is still the truth."


	8. Chapter 8

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Eight_

Kaitou Sinbad never came.

Miyako was unable to believe it. Minazuki waited beside her as she went over her security plans multiple times, glances at her watch every thirty seconds. An hour passed the appointed the time. Two. Three...

"Miyako, he's not coming," her father said.

Her eyes flashed. "That bastard! If he sends us a notice, he should at least have the courtesy to show up! I had a chemistry project I could have done!"

"Could it have been a false notice? Maybe he's burgling somewhere else?" Minazuki asked nervously.

She glared at him. "That's not his style! Why would he be breaking his pattern?"

"Because patterns are what get thieves caught. He's not stupid. He may realize that we're finally closing in on him."

She nodded reluctantly, not really believing it. Sinbad, like Jeanne, always showed up when he said he would. He seemed to derive an almost sadistic delight out of befuddling the police. He'd merely consider the increased risk of getting caught something close to an intoxicant. Part of catching a criminal was understanding their mindset. "If I get my hands on him, I'll kill him," she muttered beneath her breath, clenching her fists rhythmically.

"Do that, and your father will end up arresting you along with him- you can share a cell with Jeanne!" Fuyuta said.

She leveled a Look that made him take an unthinking step backwards.

"I was joking! What happened to your sense of humor, Miyako-chan?"

"Sinbad stole it instead of the Tokyo Tower," Minazuki muttered under his breath.

She kicked him in the shins.

Around eleven she and her father stumbled in, filing their report together. Maron heaved a sigh of relief when she initialed it. "Mom? I'm going to check on Maron, and then I'll be back!"

"Be back shortly! You have school tomorrow!"

"Yes, yes!"

She dashed across the hallway, not even bothering to knock on the apartment labeled with in neat kanji, "Kusakabe". The door was unlocked, and she was tempted to chew Maron out for her thoughtlessness, but she knew that her friend wasn't up to answering the door, so she'd let it slide. This once.

"Hello!" she called, forgetting exactly how late it was, and that Maron was probably asleep.

"In here!" Maron called, and Miyako was relieved to hear how much stronger her voice sounded than it had three days ago.

Miyako skidded into the bedroom, and was surprised that she wasn't surprised to see Chiaki there as well, sitting on the foot of the bed. Books were opened and scattered all over room, and Maron was nibbling on a pencil thoughtfully, propped up against the fat pillows. Chiaki was sprawled on the end, scribbling in his chemistry notebook. "Hey! Need help with your chem project?" he asked cheerfully, waving his free hand towards the space between them. "Maron's rather slow- I'm gonna be here for a while longer, so I might as well help you."

"Chiaki!" Maron yelled, glaring at him. "Not all of us are lucky enough to be blessed with your blinding intellect!"

He just smiled. "Then why don't you date me, Maron-chan? I can think for the both of us," he purred. His hand caressed where Maron's foot was gently.

She kicked out at him. "Chiaki!"

Miyako was torn between falling into a fit of laughing, or fuming with jealousy. So instead she smiled. "It's nice to see that you're back to normal, Maron. And yes, Chiaki, I'd like some help, but mother wants me home. I just came to check to see if Maron would be going to school tomorrow." She raised an inquiring eyebrow at her best friend.

"Sure thing! I can't stand being cooped up here any longer. How did your Sinbad chasing go?" Maron asked, sounding almost hopeful.

"He didn't show," she growled in disgust.

"What!" Maron exclaimed, looking disturbed. "Are you sure you didn't just... well, miss him?"

"No, he was never there. I think he must have been watching and laughing at us."

"I don't think he'd do that," Chiaki said rather stiffly. "I bet he was delayed or something."

"Great. We don't even rate first-place on a thief's social calendar." The bitterness in her voice was almost tangible.

"Miyako," Maron reached out and rested a hand on her closest friend's shoulder, "is that really what's bothering you?"

The other girl turned to looked at her friend. Maron's wide brown eyes were wide with concern, and as perceptive as ever. It was odd, but sometimes Maron seemed to know something was wrong with her before Miyako herself was aware of it. "I'm just so frustrated. Time and again, they get the better of me."

"It's not you, Miyako," Maron said. "Do you think they're stealing to annoy you personally?"

"I know they're not, and I know it's vain of me, but it's become personal! I'm going to catch them!"

Chiaki shifted so he knelt at her feet, much the way a man did before he proposed to the lady he loved. "We're sure you will," he said. "Don't give up your faith in that- it's what makes you the person Maron and I respect so much. You're so strong, and your intent is so pure... you shine." He lifted her hand gently and kissed it. "And on the day you do catch one of them, I'll take you out to dinner at the best restaraunt in town."

Miyako felt like she was going to faint from sheer delight. First Chiaki had kissed her, and now he was practically arranging a date? A warm feeling pooled in her stomach, and she glanced at Maron, seeing how she was taking it. No matter what Maron claimed, Miyako had her suspicions that she liked him. To her surprise, a slightly amused smile curved Maron's lips.

"I-I'd better get back," she stammered after making the mistake of looking at Chiaki's handsome features. Being caught between him and her best friend was decidedly uncomfortable.

Chiaki rose to her feet, pulling her up as well. "I just hope that you feel better. Seeing you this upset isn't a good thing. I much prefer your smile." He gave her another blinding one of his own.

"Thanks, Chiaki! I'll keep you to that dinner!" She darted out of the door, across the hall, and into the safety of her own apartment before she allowed a starry-eyed look to pass her face.

Her mother, dressed in a bathrobe, noticed. "Miyako? Is everything all right?"

She flashed the dazzling smile that Chiaki claimed to like. "It couldn't be better!"

* * *

Maron was actually up and ready early the next morning. After days of being cooped up, she was suffering from a serious case of cabin fever. School looked attractive, which was saying something about how bored she had been. She wasn't up to making a transformation -yet- but by the next night, she would be. And she'd had Fin send the card.

Fin had argued with her fiercely, saying that Checkmating Tokyo Tower was beyond her as she was. She still couldn't access Jeanne's full power. Fin didn't know why, but Maron still hadn't reached her full potential, or so she claimed. One day Maron would have control over her transformation, and wouldn't need her rosary.

Maron carefully tied a bow around her neck, smiling slightly. It would be good to be active again, good to be back on her feet. She smiled at her satchel, grateful for Chiaki's help. He had kept her up to date with classes, and she was even a little bit ahead now. That was a rare event; while she tried hard, she knew that she wasn't the best student. Maths confounded her, which meant Chemistry was hopeless.

She seemed to have a language oriented mind- French, English and Japanese all came easily. She'd even been told that she spoke French like a native. She wondered if part of her prior incarnation was influencing her. It made her uneasy. Where did Jeanne end and Maron begin?

She skipped over to Miyako's apartment and knocked on the door, wanting to thank Toudaiji-san for sending over the soup. "Come in!" she heard Miyako's mother call.

She opened the door slowly, nostalgically reminded of all the times she had bounced over without a care in the world, before she had been Jeanne. The Toudaijis were wonderful people, her surrogate family, and she loved them very much. "Hello?"

"Maron!" Miyako's mother exclaimed. She walked over and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you're feeling better! I was going to come over and clean for you if you weren't up by today."

Maron gave a shy smile in response. "I appreciate the thought."

"Miyako is getting dressed. Can I give you something to eat?"

"No, I actually had a full breakfast today. Orange juice and all."

"Well, if you're sure... how about coming over to dinner tonight?" Miyako's mother pressed on, undeterred.

"I think I can," Maron said. "As long as practice doesn't knock me out too much- I'm out of shape, and Pakkyamlamao-sensei is going to be all over me. We have a meet coming up next week."

"I know. I'll be there to cheer you two on!"

"Thanks," Maron replied.

Miyako swung into the room, a bundle of nervous energy. "Mom, have you seen my- Maron! What are you doing out of bed!" she exclaimed.

"Your ribbon is on the side table in the living room," Toudaiji-san said, displaying the sixth sense all parents seemed to have regarding their children. She turned towards the kitchen, absentmindedly straightening the coffee table on her way.

"I'm going to school, silly!" Maron answered as Miyako brushed her hair back into its usual style.

"You should still be in bed!"

"I can't miss anymore school! I promise to take it easy."

"You'd better!"

"Honest, I promise!"

The two girls giggled together.

After meeting Chiaki in the hallway, they headed off for school. It took less than an hour of classes for Maron to wish she was back at home in bed. She hated lessons with a passion. Lunch came slowly, and by the end of the day, she was almost convinced that the Devil had somehow managed to slow time down just to irritate her.

Finally the last bell rang, and she gathered her assignments into her bag. Thanks to Chiaki's tutoring, she had actually been ahead of the game. She rather liked the feeling- maybe she should ask him to tutor her regularly- she could make him dinner or something every night as payment. He had mentioned that he hated cooking, and since she didn't mind. She shook her head, dismissing the thought. Miyako would kill her.

"Can I walk you home?" she heard Chiaki asking.

"I have practice," she said.

"Maron, you're still weak. I don't know if practicing is such a good idea."

"I need to. Gymnastics is something you have to do every day. The longer I wait, the more out of shape I'll be," she said.

"Well, then I'll walk you home after."

"Chiaki, practice lasts for two hours!"

"I don't want you having a weak spell on the way home and just having Miyako. She couldn't carry you. You're too heavy."

"ChiakiI!" she exclaimed, on the verge of slapping him in the face.

He held up his hands defensively. "Hey! I'm being honest! Miyako may be strong, but she's still only a girl!"

"Fine! Do what you like!" Maron said, spinning on her heel and storming away.

"Don't I always?" Chiaki murmured to her retreating back.

She changed into her leotard quickly, shedding her uniform with relief, and then she tied her hair out of her face. Grabbing a ball and a ribbon, she headed to the gym.

Miyako was already there, doing warm-ups. Maron set her tools down and began by stretching. Simple stretches which led into the more complex ones that would actually test her muscles. She knew that if she didn't do this, today, she may procrastinate on it until she was even more out of shape. Maron felt a slight strain and was surprised- she hadn't expected to be that rusty. A frown furrowed her smooth forehead as she started to wonder if she'd really be up to Checkmating tomorrow. Even with the burst of holy energy her transformation would grant her, she needed to be fit.

After about ten minutes of careful stretching, she picked up the ribbon. A jump forward and a careful twist of her wrist brought a routine to life.

To the outside viewer, she performed nearly flawlessly, but she could feel the way her balance was off, feel how her steps seemed to be half a pace behind. Kicking her legs up, a scissor, split into straddle... touch her foot to the back of her head, angle her arms at a ninety degree... her routine was good, but her illness had taken away the spark that had made her one of the best.

Miyako noticed as well. "Maron, are you sure you should be doing this?" she called, stopping her own practice to come over.

"You'll be fine. You'll be back to normal soon enough!"

"Yes, but not soon enough for..." Maron began to reply thoughtlessly before catching herself.

"For what?" Miyako prodded.

"For competition next week!"

Miyako frowned. "I'm sure you'll be ready by then. If not, you can cheer me on!"

Maron stopped. "I know what you mean about catching Jeanne now. It's so annoying not to be able to do what you know you're capable of!"

"I'm gonna catch Jeanne tomorrow!"

"Right after the sun rises in the west!" Maron teased.

"And Chiaki stops flirting with you!" Miyako teased right back.

A sharp, painful whistle blast caused both girls to jump slightly. Pakkyamlamao-sensei, their teacher and coach, stood behind them, her foot tapping impatiently. "Back at it, girls! Maron, you've been sick, so you've got some extra work to do to catch up!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

She started on her routine again, trying to get her skill back. Tomorrow night she would be facing the Checkmate that had almost killed her in her first attempt. She would be damned if she'd back down now. Fin Fish had sent the notice; now it was up to her to finish what she had started.

Kaitou Jeanne didn't back down from a challenge.


	9. Chapter 9

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Nine_

"Strong and serious… matchless and marvelous… cheerful and courageous!"

Jeanne finished her transformation, energized by the power of heaven that coursed through her vein like an illegal drug. Beside her the green-haired angel floated, her concern warring with pride in her charge. Jeanne was doing what was needed, but the price might be high.

"Jeanne, do you have a plan?" Fin finally found the courage to ask. Maron had been tired and testy for the past few days, and between her schoolwork, Chiaki being around constantly to "check" on Maron, and her crankiness, Fin had found little time to talk to her.

Jeanne blinked at her guardian. "A traditional Checkmate isn't going to work. So were going to have to try something a little more daring." She picked up a bag she had brought along with her, smiling slightly as Fin's eyes widened.

"What's in there?"

"Well, if I was going to be really mean, I would say wait and see. But since you're not going to be able to get any closer. After school, I went to a few different churches and got supplies."

"Supplies?"

"Holy water, blessed crucifixes, the host and even a little communion wine!"

"How did you do that?" Fin squeaked. "I hope you didn't steal them! That would be playing right into the Devil's hands!"

Maron smiled slyly. "I know of a priest over in the Juuban district who has a fondness for magical girls. He was quite willing to help Jeanne once she explained she planned to exorcise a demon."

"How did you know of him and exorcise a demon? I thought you were going to Checkmate!"

Jeanne blink-blinked twice. "I dreamed of his church, and when I went, it was there. And isn't a Checkmate a form of exorcism?"

Fin nibbled her lip. "Well, in a way I guess you could say that."

"So it'll be fine. It can't be that different, right? Have some faith in me, okay?"

"Be careful," Fin whispered.

"I always am," Jeanne replied. "I'm going to go in now."

She looked over the rooftops and leaped; her magically enhanced muscles helping her make impossible jumps. Her rebound ball grasped in one hand, she prepared for whatever trap Miyako had prepared this time.

She didn't have to wait long. The police had roped the two blocks surrounding the tower off, playing it safe. She looked at the barriers and was amused by the reporters flocked around them. She'd always been more amused than irritated by the reporters' attempts to capitalize on her. It was there job after all, and some of their theories about how she pulled off her thefts were truly amusing. She blew one of the men a kiss as the police kicked into action.

"It's Jeanne!" A voice called. She thought it was Fuyuta, but she could have been wrong.

"Oui!" she said cheerfully. She waggled her fingers playfully and bounded over the news crews. Her senses tensed, waiting for the first line of defense.

Sure enough, it took less then ten seconds for about ten nets to be fired at her. She sighed slightly, wondering why they kept trying, since time and again she'd proved that they were something she could easily evade. It was practically an aerial dance by this point-a net would come at her from the right, and she would spin, agilely ducking the next net, which came from in front of her. Defying the laws of physics, she changed course mid-air, swooping up like an eagle coming out of a dive. The next net struck the spot she had just been a mere second ago. The officer who fired the net cursed quite creatively, causing Jeanne to blush.

"Hold still!" one of the frustrated police officers yelled at her.

She gave him a look, the kind women gave when men were being particularly stupid. "Do you honestly expect me to just let you catch me?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

She made it through the first block, closing in on her objective. She could feel the presence of the demon even from here, and she was amazed at how much its power had grown since the last time she'd been there. Her stomach clenched, and she halted without thinking. Its presence hurt the very fabric of nature.

Jeanne's pause almost gave the police the chance they needed. One of them fired a net, and her reaction was belayed. Her foot got tangled on ropes, and she fell heavily. The officer, unable to believe his luck, pulled his handcuffs out and prepared to make an arrest.

She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves by touching her Rosario. The feel of God's love surged through her and she kicked out, catching the young officer squarely in the chest. He went reeling backwards, giving her the time she needed to gather herself for a jump.

Minazuki, Haruto and Miyako watched from a distance, preparing the next "Miyako Special." Miyako's creativity had been seriously stressed by the recent inundation and she hadn't been able to think of anything more original then cornering the kaitou with dogs, pepper spray, and tranquilizers. "Something's wrong with her," Haruto said softly, as though he was afraid of being overheard.

"Maybe she's not feeling well. She did collapse the last time she tried to steal this place." Miyako said. Something stirred in the back of her mind, an unwanted connection, but she pushed it back without fully recognizing the thought. She'd catch Jeanne tonight, damn it. "At least she has the courtesy to keep her appointments," she muttered under her breath.

Jeanne made it to the tower, and the police swarmed her. The police had decided to go for a brute force approach time. Jeanne was only human, after all, and if enough police went after her, then she'd be caught… they hoped. Losing Tokyo Tower wouldn't look good on any of their records.

Jeanne reached unto her sleeve and pulled out a bottle of holy water. From what the priest had said, she'd have to douse the building with as much as she could. The host should be stored wherever possible, and she had to hang as crosses on all the doors. It didn't sound like a fun task, especially with the police on her heels. This theft would be more involved then any of her former heists.

Uncorking the heavy glass bottle, she began to sprinkle the water around the base of the building, flipping out of the way of the charging police officers. Murmuring prayers as she went, she attempted to circle the entire structure.

"What the hell is she doing?" Miyako wondered.

"Watering flowers," Haruto murmured.

Miyako smacked him upside the head.

The police were confused, but were still intent on capturing the thief. Since the nets didn't work, a second wave came at her, wearing gas masks. Jeanne winced as one of them fired a launcher. Casting her rebound ball, she grabbed part of the Tower and started her ascent, scaling it like it was no more challenging then walking across a street.

Akita had been hiding on the first observation platform, and was surprised to see Jeanne ascend from the outside. "She's got nerve," he whispered, and then took aim with the tranquilizer gun.

Jeanne barely had time to dodge the dart. It threw her balance off, and for a second she swung like a pendulum, her tight grip on the rebound ball the only thing that kept her from falling. "I hate heights!" she yelped, losing the half-used bottle of water as she swayed back and forth. "Damn!" she cursed fiercely, watching as the delicate glass went down to the earth.

"Arrange the nets below her!" she heard Toudaiji-san call, and she suddenly had a horrid premonition of what would happen. The police would arrange a fall net, and then severe her rebound ball. Without it, she'd have no way to prevent them from capturing her. She nibbled her lips, trying to think of something.

She didn't have time to do anything before Akita, from his vantage point, threw a knife. She shrieked as she started to go down, but suddenly strong arms wrapped around her, stopping her and setting her back on the platform. The police swore as they recognized Kaitou Sindbad.

"Did he send a notice?" Miyako demanded.

"Not to my knowledge!" Haruto said.

"Damn, damn, damn!" the schoolgirl yelled, watching as the second thief arrived. "First he doesn't show after sending notice, and then he shows without notice? What a typical male! When I get my hands on him, he's dead!"

Minazuki, who had been listening nearby, winced. He wouldn't want to be Sindbad should Miyako manage to catch him.

Sindbad, meanwhile, set Jeanne down. She scowled at him. "What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Getting you out of here, silly girl," he said. "This demon can't be defeated by a simple Checkmate- can't you feel it?" he asked.

He was right-the presence of the demon was making her sick to her stomach, and almost light-headed. Even with her extra supplies, she doubted the demon would be banished, but there was no way she'd let the devil's agent know of her doubts. "I am Kaitou Jeanne, and no demon can stand against me!" she declared fiercely, sounding more confident then she felt.

"When you come into your true power, as the Kamikaze, that may be the truth!" he agreed to her surprise. "But the Kaitou cannot! You're not strong enough, and I can see that you haven't recovered from your last attempt to Checkmate."

She blinked, wondering what the hell he was talking about. "Stop lying!" she said angrily.

"It'd be easier to talk to you if you'd believe the evidence of your own eyes!" he yelled back, infuriated.

"I hate you!" she snapped, unable to think of a better retort. She could hear the heavy footfalls of the police as they started to get closer, and gasped in surprise as Natsuda led a group towards her, carrying pepper spray and clubs. "Damn, they're getting faster," she muttered.

"I need to talk to you," Sindbad said.

"We don't have time!" she said, dodging the pepper spray that Natsuda tried to use on her.

"We'll make it," he said. Before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her and leaped off the tower.

She normally would have put up a fight, but even for her, a ten-story drop was frightening. "You're going to get us both killed!" she screamed into his ear, her words echoing her thoughts. Jeanne's fingers bit into the white material of his jacket as she murmured all the prayers she could think of.

Miyako shrieked as she saw the kaitou plummet to the ground. Even for them, it was ridiculous- Jeanne had lost her rebound ball, and Sindbad had never shown any particular skills when it came to free fall.

Sindbad shut his eyes and hugged Jeanne close as he muttered a spell to make their weight seem only a fraction of what it was in truth. They slowed down, and everyone watched in amazement as suddenly they drifted upwards, like a feather caught in a breeze. "Use your rebound ball and catch that building over there," he said, pointing over at a building a little distance away.

She did as he asked, summoning another rebound ball from her petit clare. "Rebound ball, go!" she commanded. Sindbad gripped her tightly as they sped away, leaving the stunned police officers behind.

"But that's impossible. They just broke the laws of physics!" Minazuki murmured in disbelief.

"Get used to it," Miyako said. "They break every other law known to mankind- why should the laws of physics bother them?" she asked sarcastically, but she was rattled. She'd seen Jeanne and Sindbad do some fairly amazing things before, but she'd always been able to explain things away. This time, though, there was no rational explanation. "And where the hell does she keep getting those things?"

Just what the hell are they? she wondered, watching them disappear into the distance.

When the kaitou landed on top of the building, Sindbad shifted his grip so she was cradled in his arms. "Let's go," he ordered, and then proceeded to start roof hopping.

His smell, a combination of ivory soap, aftershave, and something that was indescribable, a scent that screamed 'male' to her senses was oddly pleasant. She let him carry her to wherever he wanted, rationalizing her passive stance by telling herself that it couldn't hurt to listen to what he wanted to say.

It took about five minutes for them to return to the same park he had left her at the last time. "Well?" she demanded after a moment, when he showed no signs of speaking or setting her down.

"You're out of shape, Jeanne. Leave this Checkmate alone until you're stronger," he said softly.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" she snapped back.

"I'd like to see you regain your strength," he answered, holding her more tightly against his chest.

She squirmed, and he finally set her down. "You sound almost like you care," she sniped. "Wouldn't it be better if I just dropped dead? It'd make your job easier!"

The male thief looked at her, holding her close to him. Her heart started to pound as he drew her nearer, lowering his head. Somehow he removed the mask without her seeing, and then he was kissing her. His lips moved against hers passionately, a deep, drugging kiss that caused her every sense to tingle. After what seemed to be an eternal moment, he pulled back, somehow replacing the mask at the same time, a futile gesture.

Jeanne raised a gloved hand to her tingling lips in disbelief as her lavender eyes stared at him. She had only been kissed once before, on her balcony a week ago, but there was no mistake. The kiss had been the same; his lips had tasted the same.

"Chiaki?" she whispered in horror.


	10. Chapter 10

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Ten_

The night air suddenly seemed to become a dozen degrees colder, and Jeanne's stomach twisted painfully - at least she wanted to claim it was her stomach. She refused to believe that Sinbad – Chiaki - whoever the hell he was - had captured her heart. He was someone she couldn't trust, and he'd just proved it.

"You… you…" She stared up at him, feeling her blood pound through her veins as she became lightheaded. This couldn't be happening, not now.

"Maron," he said softly, glancing away from her so he didn't have to meet her accusing eyes. "We need to talk."

Her real name sounded strange coming from Sinbad's lips. Her head hurt from the identity confusion, and she wondered when the world had gone nuts. "No… no… no…" she muttered, shaking her head in denial. "This is some nightmare. I'm going to be waking up, anytime," she whimpered, trying to deny the reality of the situation.

"Maron, we need to talk!" he declared again more firmly.

It was too late to try to deny her identity. So she did the only thing she could; she lashed out, striking his cheek soundly. The resounding "smack" echoed over the rooftops, and Jeanne wondered if she, in her magically enhanced state, had hit him too hard. He clutched his cheek, which was rapidly swelling, and looked at her with grim determination. "I deserved that, but one smack is all you'll get," he informed her. "Now that you've had your moment of hysterics, I suggest that you calm down and be a little more rational."

"Rational… rational!" she demanded, repeating his last word with amazed scorn. She stepped towards him threateningly. "Why should I be rational? I just learned that one of my closest friends is my rival, the agent of the devil himself, and I figure it out when he kisses me! Tell me exactly why I should be calm?" she asked, emphasizing the last two words with jabs to his chest hard enough to bruise.

He caught her hand and held it firmly to keep her from damaging him any further. "Because you need to listen to me. Neither of us can make that Checkmate on our own. We're going to have to do it together, and for us to succeed, you're going to have to trust me."

"Never!" she snapped furiously. His blue eyes seemed wrong to her as she stared at him still trying to integrate his two identities. He had to have known who she was - he had said her name before, he had brought her back to her apartment when she had drained herself, he had moved in next door to her, which couldn't have been by chance. "Why did you do it?" she asked softly. "Why did you pretend to be my friend? Why did you pretend to care about me?"

He shut his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Maron, let's go back to our apartment building and discuss this sitting down. It will take some time to explain."

"I don't want your excuses, you bastard! You'll just lie!" She turned to leave, but he stopped her.

"Ask Fin Fish about a Named demon. Ask her how to Seal it. She'll tell you you're not strong enough to take one on. And when you two have talked about it, you can come and see me. I'll be in my apartment waiting."

"When Hell freezes over," Jeanne said icily, and then jumped off the edge of the building.

Miyako paced around the foot of the tower, seeking the item Jeanne had dropped. It was the second time Jeanne had left something behind, and it might be the item she needed to find out who the golden-haired kaitou truly was. She wanted Jeanne to be captured, and right now she could almost taste the triumph of victory - it was that close. Jeanne was becoming sloppy, and if Sinbad hadn't helped her tonight, then it would have happened.

A surge of irritation welled at the thought of the male thief. He was becoming erratic, and while that increased the possibility he'd make a fatal mistake, it also annoyed the hell out of her.

She frowned as one of the searchlights reflected off something on the ground. Dashing forward, she reached the item, carefully putting a pair of gloves on before picking it up. Holding it up, she stared at it thoughtfully.

It was a bottle of holy water.

The small golden cross on the base of the vial looked much like any other, but the bottom bore a small sticker-the break she'd been looking for. "The Church of the Good Shepherd, Juuban, 544 Sakura Drive," she read aloud. She was amazed that it hadn't been broken in the fall, but God was finally smiling on her.

"Miyako? Do you have something?" a voice asked.

She pivoted on her heel, meeting her father's look with excitement. "I found what Jeanne dropped! It has an address on it!"

The experienced detective blinked a few times. Then he started to do a little jig, much to his daughter's disgust. "Wahoo! We've got her!" he said, picking her up and spinning her around in his enthusiasm.

She flushed. "Dad!"

"We'll go there first thing in the morning!"

"I have classes," Miyako griped.

"I'll write you a note to get out. You've worked so hard on this case that you deserve to be there for this break." He chuckled and set her down, a wide grin on his face. "Bag it, and go home and get some sleep! You'll be up early tomorrow!"

She nodded and went over to one of the cars to get an evidence bag, wondering how she would ever be able to sleep tonight. She was so close to catching Jeanne that she could practically taste it!

"What am I going to do? Chiaki is Sinbad!" Maron declared as she burst into her apartment, startling the waiting angel.

Fin looked surprised, then thoughtful. "That would make sense. We should have figured it out a while ago. What gave him away?" she asked.

"Never mind that!" Maron said, trying to ignore the blush that was creeping up her cheeks. "What matters is that our enemy is living next door to us! An agent of the devil is sleeping less then twenty feet away!"

Fin looked slightly guilty. "Well, technically speaking, he's not the devil's appointed agent," she said uneasily, scratching the back of her head with embarrassment.

"What!" Maron demanded, her voice only a few decibels short of a roar.

The angel reeled backwards. "Do you remember why Lucifer Fell?" Fin asked.

Maron blinked. "He fell where?" she asked.

The green-haired jun tenshi sighed. "It's not part of the bible, but there's stories about the world before. Some of them are true, others aren't. There's one that says that Lucifer once was once the most favored of God's angels, the brightest star in the sky."

Maron's eyes widened in shock. "The devil was once an angel?"

"Yes, long ago. Before the Fall." Maron could hear the capital in Fin's pronunciation.

"What happened?" Maron asked after a moment of reflective silence.

"Lucifer had an argument with God. He wanted to give humans knowledge they shouldn't have. Knowledge that was dangerous. God disagreed. It brought about a great war in heaven, and in the end, Lucifer was forced out, taking a third of all the angels from cherub all the way to seraphim with him. They were the ones that became his demons. He was very bitter, and still believed he was right, which led him to tempt Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Some people respect him for it-in ancient languages, Lucifer means 'light-bringer.'" She spat the final sentence out hurriedly, as though it tasted bitter and vile. "Without Lucifer, mankind would still be in the Garden of Eden. Some people thrive on chaos, though, and claim he was right to give mankind the knowledge that was denied to them."

"So how does Sin-Chiaki fit into all this?"

"I'm not sure," Fin admitted. "When he first started with his Checkmates, I was positive he was the devil's agent, but now..." She played with the tips of her feather nervously, straightening a few quills carefully.

"Did Access Time Fall with Lucifer?"

"No, but other angels have Fallen since. I thought Access might have." Her green eyes filled with tears at the very thought.

Maron cupped her hands so Fin could sit in them as they continued their conversation. Fin gratefully accepted the support, too emotionally drained to continue hovering. "So the demons I Checkmate are the angels that Fell?" The thought made her uneasy. The fact that she was imprisoning beings that had once been angelic was not pleasant, no matter what they were.

Fin shook her head, the long tendrils of hair bouncing against her cheeks. "Most aren't. 'Demon' and 'devil' are used interchangeably, but they're really two different things. You actually Seal devils, which are lesser forms of evil. They never knew God, so they never denied him. Denying God is simply the worst thing that can be done." She shivered at the thought. "Devils are created from pools of negative emotions. They lack much thought aside from the desire to harm people. That's why they have to be Sealed. When you Seal them, you negate the negative feeling and leave only the power behind. The pawn is the physical form. With proper training, you'll be unable to unlock the power and use it for other things."

"What have you been doing with the pawns I've collected?" she asked.

"The petit clare has them. I've been saving them for you, should you need them and if you don't, then I'm going to give them to Gabriel-sama or Michael-sama."

"Gabriel-sama? Michael-sama?" Maron echoed.

The little angel nodded solemnly. "Two of the four Archangels. I don't see Uriel-sama or Raphael-sama much."

Maron felt a little dizzy. She'd known, intellectually, that Fin was an angel, but for the first time, her friend's true nature was penetrating. She dealt with Archangels from the Bible… she remembered a time before humans had been thrown out of the Garden of Eden… It scared Maron. Why would Fin want to be her friend?

"Fin, Chiaki said that I should ask you about a Named demon, and how to Seal it."

Fin blanched. "Oh, God protect us," she whispered, "that makes sense."

"Huh?"

Fin took a couple of deep breaths, obviously struggling to avoid hyperventilating. "A Named demon… that would be what's in possession of Tokyo Tower."

"Explain," Maron commanded. She was sick of all the evasions and half-truths.

"A pool of evil can attract a true demon - that's one of the former angels that Fell - to take possession of it. These are more powerful since they have a greater intelligence, are bitterer, and they're more evil. Each of them has a Name- the one they used before the Fall - that is why they're called Named demons. They're the highest level of demon power present on Earth. As for Sealing it, you're not powerful enough to."

"What?" Maron demanded.

"A Named is able to resist you, and it can fight back. That's why you're having such an impossible time with this and why the lights exploded on your first attempt."

"Chiaki said we had to work together. There's a way?" Maron demanded.

"Theoretically you could combine your powers, and that might work especially if-" Fin broke off, shaking her head.

"If what?"

"I'd rather not think about it. It's a last-ditch resort."

"Fin," Maron said irately, "I want the truth."

"Please, it's better not to think about it. Don't make me tell you until I've exhausted all other options," she said. The angel was practically begging.

"Fine. But I want the complete details on whatever plan you devise."

Fin nodded solemnly. "Agreed."

"I'm not happy with you." Maron gazed at the wall thoughtfully before heading to the kitchen to make a cup of tea; chamomile, to soothe. "Would you like some tea?" she offered her friend.

"I'd better not," Fin said reluctantly. "I have some work to do. Maybe I was wrong about Access Time."

"What did Chiaki have to do with all this?" Maron asked. "How did he get involved? Why is he doing this?"

"I'm not sure but he's working with Access. Access belongs to a faction of angels that disagrees with one of the policies God has been working on. It hasn't reached out-right rebellion, but we're worried."

"What policy?" Maron asked.

"I'd rather not say. We should talk to them."

"Fine." Maron headed for the door.

"Not tonight, Maron!" Fin said, starting to hover again. "I need to go find some things out."

"But I won't go to sleep! I'm too nervous about this!"

"Skip school!" Fin declared.

"I can't! I just got well enough to go back!"

"Say you had a relapse!" Fin snapped back temperamentally, on the verge of losing her control.

Maron tried one more time. "You're the one who's always on me to be on time!"

Fin saw Maron's genuine distress and forced herself to calm down. "Maron, this is more important. This may very well be the most important thing you've ever done. A Named is something that comes along rarely, and when it does… well, the last time there was a Named, Joan of Arc died Sealing it."


	11. Chapter 11

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Eleven_

Fin Fish watched as Maron retreated to her bedroom with a cup of tea and her homework. Fin sincerely doubted that the high school student would get much rest, and was tempted to cast a minor sleep spell on her, but decided that it wouldn't be fair to Maron. Solving problems with magic often led to more trouble than solutions. She sighed to herself and let her form destabilize until she was only a small glowing green light, a light that could pass through anything.

Now that she knew who Sinbad was, it was easy enough to figure out where Access Time would be. She went through the window and over onto Chiaki's balcony. "Access!" she called out softly, in a voice too soft for humans to hear. "Come here!" she commanded.

She looked surprised at the window as a small sphere of purple light flew through it, before changing into Access Time's familiar figure. "Not here," he hissed. "I put Sinbad to sleep, but he could break that spell if a noise or something startles him."

"Where?" she demanded. She fluttered slightly, adjusting her wings so the feathers were perfectly spread. She didn't know why she was preening, but Access always made her self-conscious.

"The park," he said, shifting back into the insubstantial ball of light that traveled so much faster than a small angel with wings could. Fin sighed and did the same, racing after him.

Access landed on a park bench, taking on the form of a True Angel. His long purple hair pooled on the ground behind him, but he ignored it. Fin was astonished; she hadn't realized Access had advanced. But if he could, then she should be able to!

It felt strange, but she pulled on power she hadn't realized she possessed. Helping Maron had increased her capabilities. It was with a sense of awe that she materialized in her own True Angel form for the first time, her hair trailing behind her like a thick green cape.

She wore a dress that was primarily white, to match her sweeping wings, but it was overlaid with gold-embroidered green fabric of a quality not made on earth, and draping ribbons and tassels made of real gold shone all around her shapely body. She tossed her head and her hair moved like it had a life of its own. "Why are we in our True forms?" she demanded, as though it was an every day thing for her to advance to the next level of power.

He gave her a catlike smile, his yellow eyes lambent in the moonlight. "We're not advisers right now, Fin-chan," he drawled slowly stretching out to his full length. "Ah, such a relief. Sometimes I feel like I'm cramped into a little package when I'm in kurotenshi form."

Her hands were on her hips and the golden ribbons swirled around her. "Access Time," she said warningly, and from her tone of voice, he could tell that she wasn't going to have any of his usual teasing.

Access Time spread his hands in a gesture of surrender and hitched over to one end of the bench, leaving plenty of room for Fin to settle herself. She did so, swinging around so her wings were trailing off one end of the bench and her hair was falling into her lap. She reminded him of a queen, and he always fell in love with her all over again whenever he saw her.

It was a shame that she hated him. She always had been so headstrong; not stupid, but stubborn. Once she made up her mind, it was rare that she changed it. She was devoted to the policies of Gabriel-sama, one of the highest of angels, but also the most rigid. "What do you want, Fin-el?" he asked.

She was surprised to hear him address her with the honorific given to angels, one they had ignored since coming to Earth. "I want to know who you are working for, Access-el," she said firmly. "Are you in league with the devil?"

He flinched. "Fin-el, can you really believe that of me?" The pain that she could distrust him that much was conveyed in his voice.

"I don't know who to trust anymore," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

He scooted over and sat against her, so their thighs were pressing against each other. "You can trust me, Fin. I may not agree with you, but I would never lie to you. I would never hurt you." He raised a hand to brush her hair away from her eyes, and he was astounded that she let him.

"Whom do you work for?" she begged.

"I've been a guardian to Sinbad's family for over a thousand years. As for why, you'd have to ask Uriel-sama. He sent me."

Fin felt like a great pressure had been lifted from her shoulders, a weight she hadn't even been aware that she was carrying. Ever since she had been created, Access had been one of her best friends, and perhaps more than that. When he seemed to defect to the other side, it was like having her heart ripped from her chest, still beating. That was the point when she crossed the line between faith and zeal, she could recognize in retrospect. "The keeper of secrets… like he'd tell me anything. All I knew is that one day you were gone, meddling on Earth, and neither Gabriel-sama or Michael- sama knew why so we assumed the worst."

Access sighed, raking a hand through his bangs. "Sinbad's story isn't mine to tell. But one day over a millennia ago, Uriel summoned me, and told me that I'd have to watch over the male line of a particular mortal and that's what I've been doing."

She looked at him, her eyes sparkling like emeralds with unshed tears. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"You wouldn't listen. Uriel-sama believes in something different than Michael-sama and Gabriel-sama. Raphael-sama hasn't spoken yet."

"And Chiaki is of this line?"

"Yes," He spoke simply, without his usual dramatics.

"What are you and Chiaki doing?" Fin demanded.

He was silent before he stretched his wings, brushing against hers. An angel's wings were sensitive, and it was intimate to touch them. A blush rose on her cheeks, and she could hear her heart pounding. "We're Sealing demons, Fin-el."

"How? Where does Chiaki get the power?"

"I help with his transformation, but it's his own will that binds them. He's a powerful magician. Most of what he does is on his own. It's really worthy of respect. I think Jeanne could be the same, but she relies too much on you."

"She does not!" Fin said, flaring up.

"I don't mean anything derogatory by it! It's just Jeanne could be stronger if she didn't always rely on the power of others, but that's aside the fact now. She's going to have to." He went quiet, and his amber eyes seemed to lose some of their shine.

"What do you mean?"

He shifted around so he faced her squarely. Now their knees were against each other, and his wings were making a spectacular backdrop against the sky, darker than the night. He reached over and grasped Fin's hands in his own, wishing he wasn't wearing gloves so he could feel the warmth of her body. "Fin-el, the demon in Tokyo Tower is Named. We have to determine its Name, and Jeanne and Sinbad will have to Checkmate it together but to do that, they will each have to take their true forms."

"The Kamikaze." Fin had dreamed of Jeanne's true form many times, but feared it would cost Maron's personality.

"And Sinbad will have to become The Tsunami."

Fin blinked in surprise. "What?" she demanded. This was the first she'd ever heard of it.

"Jeanne was sent by Heaven. I guess you could say Sinbad is the Earth's representative."

"I don't get it."

"I'll explain more later, when Sinbad and Jeanne are both there. They'll have to do the next Checkmate soon."

"I don't want to force Maron to do that," Fin said, looking down at their joined hands."

"There's no choice. This demon must be Sealed."

"I know — I just wished things had ended differently."

"You knew this would most likely would happen."

"Not this… but I knew that one day, the final transformation would come." Fin raised her eyes and looked at Access in his face, wondering why he suddenly seemed so wise. Had becoming a true angel done something to his personality? Or had the years on Earth taught him maturity?

"They're both strong — they will survive."

"We should go tell them." Fin started to rise, but Access still held her hands and used them to pull her back. "Let them sleep. Let them dream," he whispered. "We can tell them tomorrow."

She nodded, and said nothing. Still, Fin Fish let him continue to hold her hands.

Miyako waited with her father outside the very pretty church. It was on the small side, but her eyes could take in the care the entire building had been made with. The subtle details told of people who loved their work, and the graceful arches and steeple encouraged people to look towards the heavens, rather than the mundane on earth. She smiled slightly, feeling the sheer goodness of the place. It was a place for comfort and contemplation, prayer and devotion.

"So are we just going in?" she asked curiously. "Or did you arrange a meeting?"

Her father tugged the collar of his jacket more closely around his neck and gave her a crooked smile. "This is just an informal meeting. We don't have a warrant, and messing with the church is always an iffy proposition at best." Miyako muttered something about the futility of organized religion under her breath, but her father's glare caught her unawares. "Don't knock it, Miyako. Religion plays an important part in society's morality, and without it our job would be much harder." He stared at the stained glass window, examining the depictions of the Mother and Child.

"I guess. But a lot of crimes have been committed in the name of God."

"I prefer to believe that the benefits of faith outweigh the costs."

"I still find it strange that Jeanne is connected with a church," Miyako said.

Her father started into the church as the bells chimed ten o'clock. "It should have made sense. Jeanne wears a rosary and I'm wondering. You know how she uses French? I'm starting to wonder if she's trying to pretend to be Joan of Arc," Todaiji-san said.

"Huh?" Miyako said, not getting his point.

"One of the things that's key to apprehending a criminal, especially a serial one, is to get into their head. Understand their motivations and figure out how they think. Jeanne and Sinbad are rather unusual, but they have some surprising similarities in their targets. There are plenty of valuable items in this city, but they both choose to strike the same targets at the same time. Sending notice is another similarity—amazing in the confidence needed in that. They're both sure that they won't get caught, which implies delusions of grandeur. There's something special about what they choose.

"If that was all there was to it, we might just right it off as some contest between teens. It's not, though. Jeanne seems to know instinctively where the treasure is hidden, even when the police don't. She uses French casually, and wears a bright outfit with a rosary. The fact that she says that she's been sent by God implies she's seriously deluded and the French makes me think she's trying to use Joan of Arc's identity."

Miyako thought about her father's theories. "How does Sinbad fit into the picture?"

"A rival of some kind. There's genuine dislike on Jeanne's part, but he seems more determined to protect her—remember him saving her on the Tower during the last two attempts?"

"How do they do it, though?" Miyako asked in frustration. "I've been thinking about it lately—what they do is impossible. Jeanne's stolen things without touching them, and lately it's gotten worse. Last night she fell up! How is it possible to fall up? And where the hell does she get those Rebound Balls she plays with? I think the squad has cut them twice, and she always has a backup!"

Her father shrugged. "Jeanne and Sinbad aren't common thieves—they're kaitou. Kaitou means they're special."

They went into the church together and headed to the back where the sacraments were kept. Sure enough, there were small bottles of wine there, marked with the same type of engraving that the bottle of Holy Water had on it. "We're in the right place," she murmured, kneeling down to touch the exquisitely wrought glass.

"Can I help you?" a pleasant male voice asked. The Toudaijis spun around to be met by the site of a minister wearing the long white robes of his calling. He seemed to be in his mid-thirties, and had a pleasant face with a splendid mustache. Miyako liked him on sight.

"Yes. I'm Police Detective Todaiji, and this is my daughter, Miyako." Miyako bowed slightly as she was introduced. "We have some questions for you."

The man smiled serenely. "Anything to help the police," he said. "Shall we go to my office?"

They agreed, and followed him to a small room behind the church. The chairs were mismatched but comfortable, and Miyako's quick glance caught sight of an elegant sketch of mother and child, a huge stage of paperwork that seemed to be half-done, and what seemed to be a half-written sermon on his table. "May I record this?"

The priest looked cautious. "Yes, but I won't answer anything that violates the confidentiality of my flock." Miyako opened her mouth to object, but her father hushed her with a Parental Look. "What do you wish to know?"

Her father drew out the sealed evidence bag and handed it over to him. "Do you recognize this?"

"Yes, it's one of ours," the priest said, taking it gently, his eyes widening. "How did you get it?"

"It was left by Kaitou Jeanne at a crime scene."

The priest sighed. "A few days ago, a young woman came in to see me. She said she need supplies to aid in the exorcism of a demon."

The Toudaijis exchanged glances. "Wouldn't the church usually handle that kind of thing?" Miyako asked curiously. She wasn't Christian, unlike Maron, and didn't understand too much about the faith, but from what she knew of her friend's religion, the priests performed most rituals.

"Usually. But this woman was special. She had God's hand upon her shoulder, and God's love embraced her warmly enough to be seen."

"Um, okay," Toudaiji-kaji said uncomfortably. "Can you describe the young woman for us?" he asked, knowing he was probably going to hear a poetic description of golden hair and amethyst eyes.

The priest thought for a second. "I suppose that wouldn't be a violation. Quite pretty, in a girl-next-door kind of way. Brown eyes, long light brown hair, slender. About eighteen, maybe twenty."

The two Toudaijis exchanged glances, Miyako dropping her eyes first. She hadn't wanted to hear that, not when she knew someone who match that description and looked like Jeanne. "Would you know her if you saw her again?" Miyako asked.

"I would in an instant. Speaking to her was like speaking to a representative of God. I consider it a privilege to have been able to aid her."

The two detectives nodded and rose to their feet, bowing politely. "Toudaiji-san," the priest called out before they could leave the room.

"Yes?" Miyako's father asked.

"I'm not stupid. I think I can guess why you're here investigating this, and I'm sure you think my answers are crazy but I'll give you a word of advice. Don't catch Kaitou Jeanne. What she's doing may not be right according to mortal law, but she's acting on the order of a higher authority. If she fails, the world we all love may fall into hell." The priest's handsome expression was grim, and it was apparent from his face that he believed what he was saying.

Miyako had a disconcerting feeling that he was right.


	12. Chapter 12

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Twelve_

"Maron!"

To her surprise, Maron slept better than she had in months. When Fin woke her up the next morning, she rolled over, prepared to swat the pesky jun tenshi away so she could go back to sleep. To her surprise, her hand was caught in a light grasp.

"Maron, that's really not nice!" an amused voice said. "And you have to get up."

Something about Fin's voice sounded wrong. Maron's fuzzy mind didn't quite grasp what the thing was, so she opened her eyes. "Fin?" she whispered, wondering if the stranger in front of her really was her angelic friend

Beside her bed knelt the most gorgeous woman she had ever seen. She looked like a full-sized version of Fin Fish, with hair that would reach to her ankles were she to stand up. Her gown of white and green floated around her like a pool of quicksilver, accented by gold ribbons and jewelry, and the face had been honed into perfect beauty. She wasn't cute - she was breathtakingly beautiful. Looking upon her would cause sinners to repent, and atheists to believe. Such a marvel could only be sculpted by God's own hands, and Maron was taken aback.

This was Fin Fish?

Right now she was holding Maron's hand in hers. "Maron, we need to talk," she said. "You've slept long enough." Her voice had deepened from its high-pitched squeak into a deeper soprano, one that sounded like a well-tuned harp. Bright green eyes regarded Maron as she jerked upright, roused from her surprise enough to move.

"Fin?" she whispered in shock. Part of her mind knew that it was, but another part couldn't believe it.

The angel dropped Maron's hand and folded both of her own against her breasts in a praying position. "I am the True Angel Fin Fish." She smiled at her confused charge, and it was full of love. "The time for concealment is past. There is no more confusion among heaven's ranks, and enlightenment has been bestowed. It's time that you and Sindbad work together."

Maron looked at her and blinked again, wondering if this was trick. "What?" Her mind was still reeling from the shock of seeing Fin larger than she was and beautiful. Fin was cute; Fin was her friend. This new Fin was someone who inspired awe and worship, not teasing and bickering.

Fin's eyes were deep with sorrow and concern. "It's time, Maron. It's time to shuck aside the lies, and embrace the truth. It's time to for you to speak to Sinbad, and understand why he has acted as he has." Fin reached out to touch her, and Maron flinched away instinctively.

The angel appeared wounded.

"I-" Maron said, trying to express the confusion in her heart, but unable to find the words.

"Maron... are you afraid?" the angel asked, her eyes concerned. She raised her folded wings, and spread her arms wide. "You must trust in yourself, and embrace the world... Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne, the chosen wind of God, has nothing to fear!"

"I am not afraid! I am Jeanne! I am courageous!" Maron pronounced, throwing the covers off her bed. She went over to her dresser and yanked her clothes out, and raced to the bathroom, ready to take a quick shower and get ready for the day. "You go tell Chiaki to be over here in an hour, I know he can see you. I'll make breakfast then. We're going to settle this right now." Her eyes flashed dangerously as Fin rose to her feet. "And he's free to bring Access, too! I feel like hitting something right now!"

Fin blinked, and starting giggling. "Hitting Access is my job!" she protested.

Maron looked at the beautiful angel, and saw the jun tenshi inside the beautiful true angel who appeared before her now. "Fin, I don't care who I hit! Someone is going to get it! I have to miss school again!" Math tests didn't matter, compared to saving the world. Still, she doubted the teachers would be understanding.

Fifty minutes later, she was setting the table, wondering why she was acting like nothing had changed, and she was merely inviting Chiaki over the breakfast he had always trying to worm out of her. It was sadly ironic that he was finally getting what he wanted.

The doorbell rang, but she made no move to answer it. It buzzed again, and she sighed. "Fin, get the door! If it's not Chiaki, I'm not home!" she called. It was so weird to be able to send Fin to get the door, but it was nice to be able to rely on someone else.

There was the sound of the door opening and the quiet murmur of voices, but Maron forced herself to tune them out. She grabbed the pan out of the stove and set it on the stove, waiting for it to cool. Grabbing a spatula, she spun toward the door, waiting for her guests to arrive.

Chiaki stood in the doorway, and he was staring at her with carefully shrouded eyes. She nodded to him, and pointed to a seat, the one furthest from her. "Sit," she commanded. "Breakfast will be ready in a second. Orange juice all right?"

He murmured an affirmative and took his place. She grabbed the pitcher of freshly mixed juice placed it on the table, set the dish on the table, and cut four neat pieces before spooning it out. "This is something that I don't know the name of, but Fin likes it as much as I do," she stated.

"What's in it?" he asked as he poured himself a large glass of juice.

"Bread, eggs, milk, cheese and ham, and then you bake. I assume Access eats?"

"Twice as much as I do, even when he's in kuro tenshi form," Chiaki replied with a weak smile.

"Where are they?" she asked.

"We're here," came a deeper voice than she had been expecting, and Access Time walked in, in the form of a true angel. Maron dropped the spatula.

His midnight wings swept the floor as he walked, and his golden eyes looked like two miniature suns burning in his pale face. He, too, had lost the cuteness he once had, and had been sculpted into a figure of pure beauty. He wasn't handsome; he transcended it. His body was draped in clothing unlike anything she had ever seen and his sharp-features promised heaven if only you believed. There was a sense of danger to him, though, that Fin Fish lacked, and Maron glanced at Chiaki, and realized that Access and Fin held the same contrast Sinbad and Jeanne did.

Still, they were complements. Seeing the two angels together was like seeing a jigsaw puzzle fall into place. Fin and Access took the seats on either side of Chiaki, and picked up forks, murmuring prayers over food before digging in. Maron picked up the spatula, set it in the sink, and then turned to Chiaki. "Fin says that the demon is Named."

Chiaki took a bite of his breakfast. "I suggest you eat-you're going to need your strength," he stated calmly, before taking a sip of juice.

Maron's temper flared. "I'm sick of being told what to do! I want to know what's going on! I want to know how long you knew I was Jeanne! I want to know exactly how dangerous this demon is, and how to Seal it! I want to know why you were playing with me, and whose side you're on!"

"I've always been on God's side and your own," he said.

Maron ate a little, though she had no appetite. "Why are you Sindbad?"

"Because magic has always been my gift and the demons steal magic from the earth. There are two paths the world has been fighting between," he lowered his eyes, "magic and science. My family has been the only thing, sometimes, that's kept magic alive."

Access glanced over at Fin as he finished his first piece, and grabbed a second. "Not all the angels in heaven agree on the best path. I serve Uriel-sama. Fin-el serves Gabriel-sama and Michael-sama." He turned his eyes to Maron. "Still, we all oppose the devil in our own way."

Maron's head throbbed, and she gave up all pretense of eating. "Fin talked about combining our powers. What does that mean exactly?

Fin answered. "You'll make your final transformation. We'll set up the conduit but you and Chiaki will be the ones who have to change on your own and once you change..." Fin's voice broke off, and Access dropped his fork, so he could take her hands in his own.

"We're like the safeties," Access Time said, even as he looked at the angel seated across from him. "Fin and I allow you to use power from God, but keep your human bodies from being overwhelmed by it. This time you and Sindbad are going to ask for the power directly and it will consume you."

"What does that mean exactly?" Maron repeated.

Fin Fish looked at her charge. "It means that you can never be Maron again. There will be no way to transform back."

She blinked, trying to process that knowledge. "Couldn't I just dye my hair and wear contacts?" she asked.

Chiaki shook his head. "Jeanne and Maron are two distinct people. Everything about you will change. No one will recognize you even if you physically look the same as Maron, your fingerprints will be different, and even your aura will change. Haven't you noticed?"

"Huh? Aura?" Maron asked.

"It's the sum of your being. You don't think the same way when you're Jeanne, and I don't think like Chiaki. Sindbad is much more serious and less prone to laughter. Jeanne is much more confident and more likely to take chances. It will be like Maron and Chiaki died." Chiaki's voice was soft, and she heard that dread that laced it.

"I've been helping you tap into your future self, Maron," Fin admitted. "I knew that this was a likely outcome, but we really didn't have a choice. The demons needed to be sealed, and you have the same soul as Joan of Arc. You are the one God trusts with the task. Access is part of the other faction of angels who tries to give the humans more and more freewill but that's what caused Lucifer to fall in the first place. I was part of the group that didn't like what he was trying to get Sindbad to do, so Michael-sama sent me to reawaken you. You were the only one who could go against the scion of Merlin and win. Jeanne is the only one with that much power. You're not the first reincarnation of Jeanne, but you will be the last."

"Last?" Maron asked, trying to assimilate what the three were trying to tell her.

"If you succeed, you're going to become the Kamikaze. Joan of Arc didn't - if she had, she would have lived. The Kamikaze is immortal."

Chiaki watched her, seeing the realization of what immortality mean dawn on her. Her eyes wavered in fear, and she shivered slightly, even though the room was warm. "It won't be an easy path, Maron, but we have no choice."

"We?" Maron said, lashing out. "I hear no 'we' in this! I transform, and get stuck! You transform, change back, and lead a normal life!" She rose to her feet and leaned into his face wanted to claw his expressionless face.

"You think that's the case?" he asked, and this time, there was a sense of rising anger in his voice. "I am your compliment, Maron! How do you think I am going to make this transformation? Do you think that I will be able to help you without paying a price myself?"

"Chiaki," she whispered, pulling back from him slightly.

His brown eyes flashed, and he grabbed her arm tightly. "Maron, I am not happy about this! I wanted to be a doctor! I wanted to do something with my life, but when you become the Kamikaze, I'll become the Tsunami! There have been prophecies in my family about me for a millennium - do you know what that's like, growing up with people expecting that of you? You had a normal childhood - I never did."

Access placed a calming hand on Chiaki's shoulder, and the angel's touch seemed to take the anger away from the teen. "Chiaki, you've had your entire life to adjust to this possibility. Be a little kinder, okay?" Then his amber eyes shifter over to Maron. "Still, he does has a point. Being the heir of Merlin is not an easy burden to bear."

"Merlin?" she said, recognizing the name. She, like most girls, had gone through a phase where she had been obsessed by Camelot and the Arthurian mythology.

Chiaki blushed and for once seemed embarrassed, but Access fluttered his wings and puffed out his chest. "I have been the guardian of the heirs of Merlin! Chiaki's family is of Merlin and Nimue's direct line, and Chiaki is the culmination!" Access pronounced.

Maron blinked. "You mean... Chiaki is..."

Chiaki seemed to be considering how to phrase it. "The earth is, in her own way, sentient. She has chosen a champion to match the Kamikaze, and I'm it. When you make your transformation, I'll make mine-and there's no going back for me, either."

She knew she shouldn't rejoice, but a small, selfish part of her did. She was supposed to be pure; she was supposed to be God's representative on earth, but the knowledge that someone would be sharing her fate gave her strength. She wasn't going to be alone.

"Access, I want to talk to Maron alone. You and Fin can start the prayers you'll need," Chiaki said suddenly, and she shivered slightly, wondering if he had seen the selfish part of her. "Come," he ordered, holding out his hand.

She took it, and was surprised at how gentle his touch was. He led her to her bedroom and shut the door, before releasing her grip so he could produce his rosary. Compared to her elaborate gold one, his simple wooden one was almost laughable, but she could feel its power. "Maron, do you really understand what this means? Did Fin ever tell you what becoming Jeanne would do to you?"

Her eyes filled with tears and she sank to the floor. "It means... it means that I'll never be Kusakabe Maron again. It means that I'll never go to school, or have a normal life. It means that I'll always being fighting a cosmic battle, that no side will ever truly win. It means I'll never reconcile with my parents and I'll never see my friends." She placed her head in her hands and allowed herself to mourn, for the first time, the loss of everything she cherished.

Chiaki let her cry for a few minutes before bending down and cupping her chin between his fingers. "You also will have the chance to change the world. People's lives will be better because of you and I will help you," he promised, brushing her tears away with his thumb.

She gave him a weak smile, but it came from the heart. "I know, and thank you. I'm just, Chiaki, it's selfish of me, but I'm glad I'm not alone. I'm glad it's you who'll follow this path."

He helped her to her feet. "And only for you would I accept this destiny."

They looked at each other, clutching their rosaries. "It's odd to think this will be our last transformation." She looked at Chiaki, memorizing his face as it was. Even if they survived this battle, only their alter egos would remain. Maron and Chiaki would be gone-only Jeanne and Sinbad would remain. "I'm afraid," she confessed.

His chocolate eyes met hers. "I'm scared as well," he said, brushing her bands back from her forehead. "Are you going to leave a note for Miyako?"

Maron looked down at the ground. "I was thinking of it, but I just can't. How can I tell her that I'm Jeanne?"

"Can you live with never seeing her again?" Chiaki asked. "Can you live with her not knowing what became of you?"

She winced. "I'll have to, won't I? Her friendship is one of the most important things to me, but what is our friendship compared to the lives of thousands of people?" She paused and raised her eyes, meeting Chiaki's gaze squarely. "If Miyako knew what the circumstances were, she would encourage me. She believes in protecting the weak."

"Even at such a cost?"

"There is no cost," Maron said firmly. "I may not seem her the way I used to, but I'll always love her, and know that she once loved me. That's the precious thing about friendship, real friendship. Our hearts are always together."

They nodded, and he leaned over and kissed her quickly. "I admire you."

"I love you," she confessed in return. She held her breath, waiting for his answer.

Chiaki seemed to expand, and fill the room. His eyes became deeper. Suddenly she was in his arms and her head was pillowed against his chest. "No matter who you are, I love you, too," he replied.

They stayed like that for an eternal moment, before she forced herself to withdraw from his arms; it was one of the hardest things she had ever had to do. "Come. Fin and Access are waiting for us."


	13. Chapter 13

**Pawns**

_by Quicksilver_

* * *

_Part Thirteen_

The two entered the room, holding hands.

Maron had been unsure what she was expecting, but Chiaki squeezed her hand reassuringly, his eyes worried, but secure. "Don't worry, Maron. We're in this together. Our fates have entwined."

She gave him a shaky smile and returned the pressure on his hand. "Where you walk, I go as well."

Having him there steadied her for this decision. It would be like dying, she thought. She would be losing everything in an attempt to save those she loved. But she had made her choice, and Kusakabe Maron has learned not to back down. She had spent too much of her life running.

She almost sighed in contentment, though, as she stared at the beautiful image Access Time and Fin Fish made. The two angels knelt opposite each other, their wings carefully folded behind them and their hands piously clasped before their bowed heads. For once, Access looked humble, and Chiaki made a note to memorize the moment. Around them, four simple wooden bowls had been placed.

"Should we interrupt?" Maron asked nervously.

"They'll tell us when they're ready."

Fin's eyes opened after a moment and she rose to her feet, leaving her companion to his prayer. "Are you ready?" she asked them.

"I am," Chiaki asked. He spoke without hesitation, of one who knew his destiny.

Maron looked into Fin's green eyes, and realized this was her last chance to go back. Then she thought of the tower, and the demon... and Chiaki. "It's time... No more running."

"Come." She held her hands out to the two of them, and they each took one. Fine's hands were smooth as silk and comforting. She walked them over to the circle and led them inside. "No matter what happens, stay inside," she told them.

"Huh?" Maron asked, but Fin stepped back without replying, standing opposite Access Time.

Pressing her hands against her breasts again, the angel smiled beatifically. "It's time," she said.

Maron felt something in her stomach clench with dread. Something was going on here that she didn't understand. Glancing over at Chiaki, she saw the confusion in his dark eyes and was comforted that he, too, had no clue at the subtleties of what was happening.

Access looked at the two humans, his amber eyes glittering in the dim light of the room. "In each of the dishes, you'll see one of the basic elements of life... earth, fire, wind, water..." he said. "Eventually, there will be four elemental beings connected through heaven."

Maron stared at the bowls, seeing the fire burning without fuel, the small pool of water, the pile of soil, and feeling the wind blowing out of the final one. It was the last that drew her eyes back, though Chiaki seemed fascinated by the water. "Kamikaze..." she whispered.

"And Tsunami..." Chiaki said softly.

"You'll learn more about what your power means later. Chiaki is a magician already and has some training; Maron knows how to seal demons since her magic is heavily influenced by the spirits, one

of the traditional areas of air's influence," Fin added.

"Water and air and complimentary elements, aren't they?" Maron asked.

"As are earth and fire. We don't really have time to get into it. But what you need to do is assume your roles as God's representatives... as the avatars of the element," Fin continued.

"How do I do that?" Maron asked. She continued to stare at the bowl, feeling her breathing quicken.

"Just ask," Fin said. "All you need to do is ask with your full heart."

Maron realized what that meant. She had made this decision and she shut her eyes, smiling sadly to herself. It was something she had realized would be coming, but now that the moment was here, a part of her wanted to bolt. But Chiaki was beside her and running wasn't an option.

It meant giving up everything.

It meant saving the city from a demon that would consume it.

She sank to her knees, feeling the firm ground beneath her. Folding her hands together, Maron prepared to pray, but she couldn't think of anything particularly intelligent to say. So instead she just whispered, "Help us, please."

It must have been enough, because she felt a wave of power wash through her, starting as her fingertips and toes and working its wave through her body. Her skin tingled and she felt her body rise into the air, suspended. Her lashes fluttered open and her mouth opened in shock as she saw Fin.

Fin's hands her extended towards her and the red jewel she wore on her forehead was so bright Maron couldn't look at it directly. Then Fin's power came towards her, embracing her gently and remaking her clothes into a kaitou outfit similar, yet different than any she had worn before.

White and gold. She looked down and saw the other colors had been replaced by shimmering golden shades, and she tilted her head back as the transformation spun her around. From within, she felt something explode, perhaps the divine power she had asked for, and she tilted her head to look over where Chiaki had stood. Her breath caught as she saw him turn to face her, obviously just completed a similar transformation.

Sinbad stood before her, resplendently dressed in blue and silver, subtle changes from his usual outfit but one that made him look more intimidating. The soft silver jacket draped around him without looking tacky, and she stared at him with a bit of concern. He looked older and harder, not at all like the boy who had assured her that they would be together.

His brilliantly blue eyes, so different from Chiaki's, gently looked into hers. "Jeanne," he said softly. "We should get going."

She nodded, moving a bit closer, but feeling unsure again. She felt more empowered, with energy running through her skin, but she didn't have a clue how to deal with Sinbad -- like usual. "Maybe we should," she said softly.

Fin, meanwhile, moved lethargically towards Access. Her movements were sluggish, but Access's bright eyes watched her with eagerness. "Good luck," she said. "I'm sure you'll succeed," she told Jeanne.

"I'll tell you all about it," Jeanne promised, trying to hide her nervousness.

Access and Fin exchanged glances and Jeanne felt something inside her twist. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Jeanne..." Fin said softly, "I don't think I'll be around for you to speak to for a long while."

"What?" Jeanne demanded. Beside her, Sinbad froze, his eyes going wide in confusion.

"We'll meet again. It's just going to be a while," Fin whispered, her form starting to fade away. "Don't cry for me, Jeanne."

Beside her, Access raised a hand which was becoming translucent. His attention turned to Sinbad. "It's been fun, ne?"

The two kaitou stared at their friends in horror. "What's happening?" Sinbad managed to choke out. Jeanne shook in fear, wondering what had gone wrong.

"We've been your guides for centuries, preparing the way for your arrival. Now that you've achieved your final form, our roles are complete. We can achieve our next form," Fin explained.

"I thought a true angel was the highest level of power!" Jeanne said, reaching out to grab Fin, only to have her hands slide through her. She cried out, unwilling to believe this was happening, trying to think of something --anything-- to make this stop. She had lost her identity as Maron, lost Miyako... now she was losing Fin?

Fin didn't seem at all troubled."What is power? There's greater things... and we're going onto one of those," Fin said calmly. Her expression was one of profound joy, something that made Jeanne's heart ache. Every second the angel became more and more indistinct, her outline resembling a field of scattered stars.

"We'll be back," Access Time promised. "You'll know us when you see us, though we may not know you," he said. "But even if the mind doesn't remember, the heart always carries the memory of love." He reached over and took Fin's hand, apparently still able to touch her. "Eh, Fin? Maybe this time you'll admit you adore me?"

"Never!" she replied, but a light smile played on her face. Around her and Access, the light grew so intense it was near blinding, but neither kaitou looked away. "We'll meet again," Fin Fish said again.

Then everything exploded.


	14. Chapter 14

**Pawns**  
_by Quicksilver_

Note: The entire story has been re-edited to make it more grammatically compliant. There's no major content changes.

* * *

_Part Fourteen_

Miyako listened as Pakkyamlamao-sensei gave a lecture on Japanese literature – or tried to. Her attention was divided by the two seats which were conspicuously empty. She kept stealing glances at them as she made a half-hearted attempt to take notes.

Both Maron and Chiaki hadn't come to school. When she'd stopped by Maron's place, there had been no answer. In the past, she would have just gone right in, but she'd cravenly taken the easy route and gone ahead on her own, muttering that she wasn't Maron's keeper.

That wasn't the real reason, of course. She could admit, in privacy of her mind, that she was glad. She wasn't ready to face Maron quite yet.

Speaking with the priest yesterday had inflamed her doubts about her best friend. Somewhere deep inside she'd always believed that Jeanne was Maron; there was too many similarities in face and form – and Miyako would recognize Maron's gymnastics style anywhere. It had been too hard for her to accept, so she'd never confronted the possibility. Instead, she had joined the Kaitou Jeanne Task Force because she'd wanted to prove her doubts wrong.

Those doubts had only grown deeper the last few weeks, and they didn't extend just to her best friend. Miyako wasn't stupid. Chiaki's arrival in town had coincided too well with Kaitou Sinbad's relocation for a rational person to accept as "coincidence." There was too much in her life that she'd been deliberately blind to, and now she was going to have to come to terms with that.

She didn't want to arrest Jeanne – arrest Maron – but if it came down to it, she would. She would never forgive herself for the betrayal, but it might be the only way to save Maron from herself.

The ring of her cellphone was a welcome distraction from her dark thoughts. Pakkyamlamao-sensei gave her a nod, indicated with a tilt of her head that she should proceed to the hallway and answer it. Miyako was the only student in class allowed to take calls since her position with police offered special treatment. Some of the teachers resented it, but Pakkyamlamao-sensei had always been understanding as long as Miyako stayed on top of her school work.

She ignored the dirty looks a couple of her classmates shot her, hurrying out into the hall. By the fifth ring she answered, feeling a bit breathless. "This is Miyako," she said in a brisk voice.

"Miyako, dear..." She was surprised to hear her mother on the phone.

"Mother, you shouldn't be calling me-" she started, but stopped when she reflected on her mother's tone. She had sounded worried. "What's wrong?"

"You need to come home right away."

"Why?" Miyako felt panic start to rise in her chest. Had her father been hurt? Did Maron have a serious relapse? Or did they find out that Maron was Jeanne? A bunch of worst-case scenarios started to flit through her mind.

"I'll tell you when you get here." Her mother paused before continuing again. "Darling, I love you." She hung up.

That was not a reassuring way to end the conversation. Miyako listened to the silence for a long moment, realizing that her mother was shaken. Things rarely got to Toudaiji Akiko, so Miyako knew it had to be bad.

She opened the door to the class and stuck her head in. "Excuse me, sensei, but I'll have to get going," she said, before shutting the door too quickly to be stopped. Her inconsistent attendance was starting to annoy Pakkyamlamao-sensei, understanding or not. Miyako didn't bother collecting her books, knowing Minazuki would get them for her. He was good about that kind of thing.

She ran most of the way home, pausing only to catch her breath. She tried to keep her mind empty of speculation; a good detective worked from facts, and right now she had none. Jumping to conclusions or making assumptions wouldn't benefit her. All it would do was make her edgy. Miyako saw a squad car pass, its lights flashing as the sirens screamed, and had to suppress another surge of unease. Just because they were heading in the direction of her home didn't mean that they were actually going there.

It was too bad that her paranoid instincts were proved right. Turning the corner, she saw more police than she'd ever seen gathered outside of the station – and that included on heist nights. She slid to a stop outside of her apartment complex, gaping in horror. The building had been roped off, and uniformed officers kept members of the gathering crowd from getting too close.

She only had to look up to see why so much attention had attracted so much attention. Her eyes fixated on the seventh floor – her floor, Maron's floor, Chiaki's floor – and stared at the hollow area where Maron and Chiaki had lived. The side of the building was completely gone, but the damage had been limited only to those places. On the ground below, pieces of glass littered the roped-off area, but otherwise there was no debris. The floor below looked fine; covering her hand with her face, she imagined that there was no damage.

"Maron!" she yelled, glancing around the crowd and hoping to catch sight of her best friend. Surely Maron hadn't been in there, surely she was alright and safe -

She would never be able to consciously remember how she found herself at the doorway. A policewoman she didn't know grabbed her by the shoulders, keeping her from getting any closer. "I'm sorry, miss, but the building's been sealed for safety," the woman said, and her tone was not unkind. "Do you know anyone who lives here?"

"I'm Toudaiji Miyako," she announced, hoping her hastiness would be interpreted as professionalism. "I'm associated with the Jeanne Task Force – and that's my apartment building."

The hands fell away from her and the woman treated her to a crisp salute. "I'm Sayamino Fukemi, miss," she said. "Attached to the 63rd precinct, currently filling in as security. Your father told us to send you in when you arrived." She stepped back. "They're on your floor investigating."

"Is everyone okay?" she demanded. "Were there any casualties?"

"Not that we know of, but there's two people missing," the woman said, glancing over her shoulder. "You should go up and speak to your father. Grab a hardhat from the uniform in the hall." Miyako nodded and marched by the woman, in too much of a hurry to offer proper thanks. If her father was investigating, then he was fine. Her mother had called her, and that left only two people she cared about.

The hardhat was a bit too large for her, but the officer was patient as he helped her adjust the plastic straps inside. He also handed her a gas mask, "just in case" which she hung around her neck. "Miss, go straight to your apartment; someone will meet you there and explain the situation."

She climbed the stairs as fast as she could, remembering the times she and Maron had raced down them. It must have been six months since she'd taken them; luckily she was in good shape. As she'd gotten older, it'd just been more convenient to use the elevator than to work off her excess energy by using the stairs.

Another guard met her when she opened to door to her floor. It was Fuyuta., and his face was grimmer than she'd ever seen. He nodded to her when he saw her, pointing at her apartment as if she needed the guidance. "He's in there," he said.

She nearly sprinted to the door, noting as she passed that the hallway looked normal. Had she not already seen the outside, she would have believed that Maron and Chiaki's places were in their usual shape.

It was hard not to toe off her shoes as she usually did, but the weight of the helmet on her head reminded her that this was business. This was not supposed to be her home. The place had been transformed from the comfortable place she'd known. Her mother's face was carefully blank as she whispered "welcome home," before nodding toward the dining room. There was no mention of her not taking her shoes off, although usually her mother would have flipped. Miyako almost wished that she would, because that would resemble normality.

Her father sat at the table, flanked by the remaining three Seasons. They were studying what looked like the floor plans of the building. Her father looked up when she came in, and the look in his eyes made her heart skip a beat. Suddenly she felt very young. "Daddy?" she whispered. "What happened?"

"We're not sure," he told her. "Around eleven this morning, your mother heard a loud noise from across the hall. She grabbed the key to Maron's apartment to check, but when she opened it..." her father hesitated. "Well, the place is gone."

"Where's Maron? And Chiaki? Have you found them?" she demanded.

"No." Her father looked at her. "We contacted the school hoping they were in class, but both were absent today."

"I know that," she replied, trying to sound scornful but the words came out almost sobbing. "Daddy, what happened to them?" she demanded again. "Where's Maron?"

Her mother was there then, and her arms wrapped around Miyako's shoulders. Miyako broke down sobbing, afraid what had happened to her best friend. "Mommy, Maron's been sick for a while, so she could have been... have they looked...?" her thoughts came out in fragments.

"A team's already been through, and there was no sign... anyone was there," her father said tactfully. "They've tentatively pronounced the building structurally sound, but we're going to have to wait a day before we're allowed entry. I would say it was some kind of explosion, since it only affected Nagoya and Maron's place, but I can't guarantee that. The demolitions experts said there was no trace of any substance that would act like that, and the blast radius was amazingly contained, since it didn't damage the hall, the roof, or the apartments below." He hesitated again. "Miyako, we're treating this like a crime scene. It could have been an accident, but it does look suspicious."

"Suspicious?" Miyako echoed. "What do you _mean?_ There's nothing suspicious about Maron!" She tried to sound indignant, not wanting anyone to sense her doubt about her best friend.

Her father exchanged glances with Haruto. "Miyako, Maron's under investigation as a possible suspect for being Jeanne."

It was only her mother's arm around her that kept Miyako from doing something rash. Instead, she clenched her fists at her side and practically growled, "Why would she blow up her apartment?" she demanded.

"Cover. If she and Nagoya disappear, some might write them off as victims," Natsuda said. He flinched at the look Miyako leveled at him, but didn't back down. "Nagoya would match Sinbad's general description if we discount his coloring,"

"Why pick on Maron?" Miyako demanded.

"It was just a hunch at first," her father said. "Jeanne reminded me of her, and I mentioned it to Akiko, who said Maron had been keeping some unusual hours. I asked her to keep a record if Maron left on heist nights, and sure enough, she has been."

"Mother, you've been spying on Maron?" Miyako demanded with disbelief.

"I've always kept an eye out for her," Akiko replied with no repentance and a stubborn set in her face. "Miyako, if she is Jeanne, she needs to be stopped for her own good. She's too young to ruin her life like that."

"Don't you think I know that?" Miyako growled back. She tried not to flinch at the expressions of shock her parents gave her. "I don't want her to be Jeanne, but I'm not an idiot!" The tears threatened to rise to the surface again, and her mother could only rub her shoulders. "If she's Jeanne, then I believe she has a reason! She wouldn't destroy her home just to avoid suspicion – she loves it here!"

"Miyako, you may not know-" her mother's words were interrupted by the sound of a door slamming open. In unison, the crew in the kitchen spun to see Fuyuta entering.

Her father scowled. "Didn't I tell you-" he started, but paused after taking a deep breath. "Report, Fuyuta," he ordered.

"A messenger just arrived from headquarters," he said, "with a notice sent by Jeanne and Sinbad for tonight at Tokyo Tower."

Miyako tried not to feel too relieved. She didn't have proof that Maron was Jeanne, but a part of her insisted that if a notice had been sent, Maron was alive. The familiar rush of irritation at Jeanne's notice didn't materialize, though.

"They each sent one?" her father asked. "Again?"

"No. It's signed with both their names, but there's only one. They're coming together." 


End file.
